The history of the response to HIV and AIDS in South Africa has seen a complex mix of overlapping psychological, social and biomedical responses over time, as it has progressed from being regarded as an incurable and terrifying infectious disease to a more  normalised and treatable chronic illness. This talk seeks to identify and problematise some of the unstated and less helpful conceptualisations underpinning many interventions seeking to promote sexual behaviour change, service access and treatment adherence through psycho-social and community level strategies.

About the speaker

Professor Catherine Campbell is Head of Department of Social Psychology at the London School of Economics (UK), and Director of the Health, Community and Development Group. Her work focuses on the role of various forms of community mobilisation (from small scale community mobilisation to global social movements) in facilitating health-enhancing lifestyles, health service access and adherence to medical advice and treatment – as well as wider social change. Her foci have included HIV/AIDS, mental health and women’s health.