new boundaries for not-knowing

« High HIV-risk groups » objectivation at the
era of antiretroviral therapy :
new boundaries for not-knowing
Maud Gelly, PhD candidate in sociology, CSU-Paris 8,
Sidaction grant
Gabriel Girard, PhD in sociology, post-doctoral candidate,
EHESS-Concordia University, Sidaction grant
Mathieu Trachman, PhD in sociology, IRIS/EHESS
Classing to act:
the epidemiological intelligence
• InVS = Institut de Veille Sanitaire: French
Institute for Public Health Surveillance
• BEH = Bulletin Epidémiologique
Hebdomadaire: Weekly Epidemiological
Bulletin
• Buton François, “De l’expertise scientifique à
l’intelligence épidémiologique : l’activité de
veille sanitaire”, Genèses, 2006/4, 62, pp. 7191
Classing to simplify:
the clinical eye
• CDAG = Centre de Dépistage Anonyme et
Gratuit: free and anonymous testing centres
Targeting high-risk groups and
criticising classifications:
activists taking on the “dirty
work” of objectivation?
The associations:
- AIDES
- Kiosque Infos Sida: Checkpoint is a
testing centre of the Kiosque Info Sida
association located in the Marais in
Paris
Objectiving to screen better?
• In Montréal, rapid test offerred since 2009 by
SPOT, a community-based research project
• Rézo: CBO
• In 2012, “Actuel sur Rue” opened
• It depends on l’Actuel, a clinic specialising in sexual health
and HIV care for gay men since 1985
• Intervention model
• Consultant for pre test counselling, and risk assessment
• Nurse for testing, sampling and treatment referal
The work of objectivation
• The first filter: risk assessment
• Group identity/belonging
• Partners
• Temporality of « at risk » practices
• Ambiguous situations?
• Risk temporality is not always so clear
• Sexual identity: heterosexual, bisexual ?
• The notion of risk
• Border-line situations point to the limitations of
objectivation work
Risk assessment and classification
• It answers to a hierarchy of position: nurse /
consultant
• The figure of the « good candidate » emerges
• Contextual dimensions have to be explored
Conclusion: Community/communities as a
common « software »?
• Division of work of objectivation
• “Dirty work” delegated to associations
• Strategies and limits
• Community as a “software” for prevention
work ?
• Lert/Pialoux report: a french report on risk reduction, 2009
• Fassin D, « L’indicible et l’impensé : la "question
immigrée" dans les politiques du sida », Sciences sociales
et santé, 1999, 17, 4, pp. 5-3