Preserving a Vital and Valued Self in the Face of AIDS |
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| Authors: | Kent L. Sandstrom |
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| Affiliation: | Is associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology at the University of Northern Iowa. His most recent publications focus on how men with HIV/AIDS manage emotions, negotiate sexual relationships, and come to terms with bodily debilitation. He is currently writing a book (with Gary Alan Fine) entitled Symbols, Selves, and Social Reality: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach;. In addition to participating in these research activities, Kent is actively involved as an AIDS educator and volunteer in north-east Iowa. |
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| Abstract: | This paper utilizes interview data to explore the challenges to self confronted by men living with advanced symptoms of AIDS. Guided by a symbolic interactionist perspective, the paper highlights how these men (1) come to terms with debilitating health complications and a diminishing future; (2) offset the threats posed by suffering, dependence, and dying; and (3) fashion and solidify selves that extend beyond death. In examining these themes, the paper reveals how men with AIDS construct and negotiate identities that enable them to sustain a sense of control, continuity, and self-value in the face of mortal illness. |
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