Moral boundaries: The geography of health education in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Southern Africa

Recent discussion about 'moral geographies' has raised the question of how states define and represent norms of sexual morality. The AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa has forced states to redraw the boundaries of what is co nsidered acceptable for public consumption concerning sexual behaviour: The aim of this article is to show that the 'moral boundaries' of educational and publicity materials produced to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS a re determined by negotiation between the state, its institutions and the ci tizenry. Two types of information transmission are discussed: the public me dia, in particular posters: aid educational materials in schools. These are illustrated by case study material from Malawi and Zambia, two countries i n the AIDS-Belt, but with contrasting attitudes towards these moral boundar ies. It is shown that in both countries poster campaigns are normally impli cit rather than explicit and adopt metaphors that do not offend public tast e. Incorporating AIDS education into school curricula is a particularly con tentions 'boundary' question because it induces anxiety about children's se xuality. The evidence presented shows that HIV/AIDS is causing the moral bo undaries of the state to be reconstructed within an on-going struggle betwe en moralistic and pragmatic forces.