Disease Diplomacy: The Inherent Paradox of Globalization and AIDS

Abstract

This paper seeks to understand a remarkable paradox linked to the processes of globalization and the increasingly notorious AIDS pandemic. Commonly dubbed the next Black Death, AIDS is crippling not only the public health system in a myriad of countries, but it is becoming increasingly infamous as a development, security, trade, economic, and social issue that must be dealt with multilaterally. The aspects of globalization such as transportation, social and cultural marginalization, and economic integration seem to be intensifying the international AIDS crisis to emergency levels never seen before in our history. However, at the same token, progressions like global governance and cooperation, and the technology revolution are providing us with realistic and promising solutions to this deadly outbreak. Case studies from countries around the world will be used to demonstrate this paradox in a practical setting.