Pictures of a Virus: Ideological Choices and the Representation of HIV

Examines how HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) & AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) are represented in animation, scientific programs, films, & novels, focusing on a comparison of the functions of visual constructions & their ideological consequences. The iconic, fetishized imag...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	French cultural studies 1998-10, Vol.9 (3), p.337-349
Main Author:	Rosello, Mireille
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	1900-1999 Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome American literature Coe, Christopher Collective Representation dramatic arts France French television Ideologies Mass Media Images novel Novels Programming (Broadcast) Science Such Times Television
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Examines how HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) & AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) are represented in animation, scientific programs, films, & novels, focusing on a comparison of the functions of visual constructions & their ideological consequences. The iconic, fetishized image of the AIDS virus that often appears on TV is analyzed in different contexts as a hegemonic model, noting how its representation can be more or less threatening depending on the ideology behind it. Discussed as examples are a children's program's portrayal of HIV infection as the invasion of a castle; a science-fiction film portraying HIV as a glamorous, potentially dangerous, blonde; & a novel that presents HIV as a collection of gemstones. It is argued that the different ways HIV is represented delineate a space of critical inquiry. D. Weibel
ISSN:	0957-1558 1740-2352