UNDERSTANDING WOMENS RISK OF HIV-INFECTION IN THAILAND THROUGH CRITICAL HERMENEUTICS

Approximately 208 of all new AIDS cases in Thailand are women of child bearing age. Women are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection becaus e of the social and sexual practices of men frequenting prostitutes, e ven after marriage, and the inability of women to exert control on dec isions regarding sexual health. Women's oppression in Thailand is disc ussed and a position made of the moral imperative to use counterhegemo nic methodologies in the study of HIV risk and prevention in Thai wome n. Interpretive and critical research methodologies are reviewed, and a case is made for using critical hermeneutics as an approach for inve stigating women's oppression in Thailand and their vulnerability to HI V infection.