Destigmatisation within the HIV/AIDS pandemic : wowards a pastoral anthropology of embodiment

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of the thesis is on the HIV and AIDS-related stigma and stigmatisation ofpeople who try to live positively with HIV/AIDS within the pandemic. The basicassumption is that there is interplay between the HIVAIDS-related stigma as acultural phenomenon and the negative perception of the human body. Since ahuman being is created corporeal and re-created due to the fact that humanembodiment is a fundamental ingredient for the understanding of soul, It is arguedthat in a pastoral approach, a person should be understood holistically. Anthropologywithin the traditional kerygmatic approach focused mainly on the notion of sin(corruption totalis) within the theological understanding of God's judgement(judgemental attitude). I have proposed that pastoral anthropology should adoptconstructive paradigms and point towards the integration of embodiment(wholeness) in a realistic approach rather than emphasising the notion of sin andforms of dualism. The thesis departs from an eschatological and pneumatologicalview of the human being, in which the concepts of resurrection and hope are equallycrucial. I further argue that a Christian spiritual perspective on embodiment ispotentially destigmatising itself. In terms of a pastoral hermeneutic I have shown thatin destigmatisation the transformation of the HIV and AIDS-related stigmacorresponds to the transformation of the mindset and paradigm of a person(habitus). Through the process of destigmatisation people discover meaning and areenabled to live fully embodied and responsible lives.The thesis is designed as a literature study based on text analysis andhermeneutical reflection. Moreover, in order to develop a pastoral anthropologicalview, the Scripture is used as a reference point.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University