A Focus on the US Narrative: Does The New York Times Portrayal of Women Living With HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa Perpetuate HIV/AIDS Stigma?

<p>The aim of the study was to determine the dominant and recurring frames influencing the narrative and media portrayal of women living with HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, a region characterized by a low socio-economic status and the highest HIV and AIDS infection rates globally. The study analyzed 238 stories published in The New York Times from 1985 to 2017. Findings of the study show that news reports frequently associate sex workers and pregnant women to coverage on HIV and AIDS therefore stigmatizing them as vectors of the disease. The newspaper stories provided adequate socioeconomic context resulting in African women being vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. This conclusion supports the feminist theory that women are politicized, categorized and victimized according to and as defined by their surroundings and that such media representation further perpetuates HIV stigma for women living with HIV and AIDS. </p> <p>Keywords: HIV stigma, media, women, Africa, AIDS, feminism </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Journalism (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Balozwi, Boitshepo Monte

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wells, Rob

Contributors dc:contributor

• Aloia, Lindsey S.
• Carpenter, Dale

• Africa
• Feminism
• HIV Stigma
• Media
• The New York Times
• Women
• Journalism Studies
• Mass Communication
• Women's Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2762

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uark.edu:etd-4317