Hosegood - Bao

I found the Hosegood article an excellent source for explaining some of the problems with the way we practice medicine and the way health policy is structured. This also ties in with international aid both in terms of funding and in terms of public awareness. There seems to be a tendency to look at individuals as their disease, as opposed to individuals whose lives must somehow incorporate their ailment. The Reynolds article discussed the issue regarding the move away from kinship and towards an identity based upon biomedical citizenship, which in some ways can and hould be seen as a strategical political move. As she points out, "They are painted as the victim, the recipient of suppor, or the surrogate for someone else's claims to biological citizenship" (Reynolds 2009). By classifying children in this manner, it becomes difficult to understand what "belonging" entails, and how this fits into kinship and household. Both articles serve as good examples as to why we need to focus on a more holistic view of people and their networks in order to understand the true effect a disease has on their mind and body. By doing this, we may learn more about families and their abilities to cope, transform, and continue on despite various challenges.