Seeking exposure: conversions of scientific knowledge in an African city

Transnational medical research has become a common feature in many parts of Africa. This paper explores the contribution such activity makes to the social and economic lives of those involved, including both trial subjects and local staff. By considering the value of the ‘exposure’ that involvement...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The Journal of modern African studies Vol. 54; no. 3; pp. 389 - 417
Main Authors:	Aellah, Gemma, Geissler, P. Wenzel
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-09-2016
Subjects:	Acquired immune deficiency syndrome Africa African studies AIDS Cities Collaboration Disease prevention Epistemology Ethnography HIV Human immunodeficiency virus Identification documents Intercultural communication Knowledge Medical research Participation Radiation Research centers Science Scientific knowledge Transnationalism Value Africa
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Summary:	Transnational medical research has become a common feature in many parts of Africa. This paper explores the contribution such activity makes to the social and economic lives of those involved, including both trial subjects and local staff. By considering the value of the ‘exposure’ that involvement brings to staff and research participants, we reflect on the conversion of scientific knowledge into practical knowledge and its value to sustaining precarious livelihoods in an economically fragile city. We consider the interplay between science and sociality and argue for a need to take seriously the circulation of scientific knowledge beyond the confines of expert spaces.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0022-278X 1469-7777
DOI:	10.1017/S0022278X16000240