Premium
Preserving a Vital and Valued Self in the Face of AIDS
Author(s) -
Sandstrom Kent L.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1998.tb00472.x
Subject(s) - negotiation , construct (python library) , face (sociological concept) , perspective (graphical) , psychology of self , sociology , value (mathematics) , social psychology , self , epistemology , psychology , computer science , social science , artificial intelligence , philosophy , machine learning , programming language
This paper utilizes interview data to explore the challenges to self confronted by men living with advanced symptoms of AIDS. Guided by a symbolic interactionist perspective, the paper highlights how these men (1) come to terms with debilitating health complications and a diminishing future; (2) offset the threats posed by suffering, dependence, and dying; and (3) fashion and solidify selves that extend beyond death. In examining these themes, the paper reveals how men with AIDS construct and negotiate identities that enable them to sustain a sense of control, continuity, and self‐value in the face of mortal illness.