Against the background of what Patton calls constructions of ‘African AIDS’ and the knowledge continuously produced among HIV-activists, we want to explore the debate around male circumcision as a means of fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. The argument in the texts that promote male circumcision is that the removal of the foreskin may reduce a man’s susceptibility to HIV infection (Szabo and Short 2000a; Halperin and Bailey 1999; Weiss et al. 2000; Bailey 2000).[73] The pro-circumcision texts are mostly reviews of other medical articles. For example, Szabo and Short popularize selected research findings and conclude with a strong pro-circumcision statement: “The majority of men who are HIV positive have been infected through their penis. There is conclusive epidemiological evidence to show
Arnfred Page 102 Wednesday, March 3, 2004 2:38 PM