Marseille 2007
| Abstract #438 - Trigger or Trap? The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Civic Participation in Africa | ||||
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Session: 10.5: Civil society and social ramifications (Parallel) on Monday @ 11.00-12.30 in CP Chaired by Liviana Calzavara, Ted Myers Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Per Strand - University of Cape Town, South Africa |
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| Additional Authors: Prof Robert Mattes, | ||||
| Aim: The research question in our paper is what is the impact of HIV/AIDS on civic participation in Africa? Is HIV/AIDS a trap that prevents civic participation due to stigma, illness and the burdens of home-based care, or is it a trigger for civic activism in one form or another. Which of the two hypothesestrigger or trapis more accurate? What general factors explain variations between countries? And what is the relative weight of and interaction between micro (individual) and macro (country) level factors in such an explanation? | ||||
| Method / Issue: These questions are addressed through multi-variate regression analyses of the Afrobarometer public opinion surveys from 2003 and 2005 (rounds 2 and 3). The surveys hold nationally representative samples (N=1200 2400) from 16 and 18 African countries respectively. A set of questions capturing degree and type of civic participation represent the dependant variable. We use three sets of questions that captures respondents experience of HIV/AIDS as the independent variable: (1) whether they have lost a relative or close friend to AIDS, (2) how much time, if any, they spend providing home-based care and, (3) to what extent their ability to function normally during the last year was reduced due to their own physical or mental illness. The regressions are done while controlling for a range of variables representing structural, institutional and cognitive variables. In taking the analysis one step further, we do a set of regressions where individual-level variables are combined with country-level variables through the HLinear Modeling software. This method allows us to factor in epidemiological, demographic and other relevant macro variables such as state capacity and political governance. | ||||
| Results / Comments: At this stage we can report some initial results from the individual level regressions. On the whole, across all Afrobarometer countries, HIV/AIDS appears to be more of a trigger than a trap. The statistical effect is often significant, albeit quite weak. The experience of personal loss to AIDS appears to be the strongest trigger for civic participation. For instance, a person who has experienced personal loss is more likely to attend a community meeting (Beta .122, sig. .000). This effect is diversified once the countries are analysed separately, with the strongest effects found in South Africa, where a person who have experienced personal loss is more likely to join others to raise an issue (Beta .164, sig. .000). | ||||
| Discussion: We need to explore our initial results in further depth before we can speak more confidently about in what respects and under what conditions different representations HIV/AIDS impact on civic participation. The fact that personal loss has a relatively strong impact corresponds with findings among AIDS activists in the US. However, this is more likely to happen where AIDS is already politicised. If these initial results are confirmed our research will highlight the importance of the political context for what impact HIV/AIDS has on civic participation. Our research will suggest what strategies are likely to be more successful for mobilising civic action against the epidemic. | ||||
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