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Does the scientific "theory" that HIV came to North America from Haiti stem from underlying attitudes of racism and ethnocentrism in the United States rather than from hard evidence? Award-winning author and anthropologist-physician Paul Farmer answers with this, the first full-length ethnographic study of AIDS in a poor society. First published in 1992 this new edition has been updated and a new preface added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Reading this book will change your life
Farmer's excellent historical ethnography of Haitian illness (as seen through the contemporary context of the world AIDS epidemic), proves the necessity of developing anthropological approaches to understanding health systems and implementing medical care.The diagnosis and analysis of sickness, disease, illness, and treatment should go hand-in-hand with the cultural understanding of local systems of blame, accusation, causation, and cure.Where most approaches to medicine are based on the "Westernized" first-world nations' understanding of the causes of illness (tainted as well, as Farmer shows, by systematic "blame the victim" and shame techniques), the adoption of these approaches in treating the illnesses of other peoples can be catastrophic.Three ethnographies make up the structure of a detailed historical inquiry )

The longstanding tradition of conceiving of illness through the lens of powerlessness shapes the contemporary lives of the people in Haiti with whom Farmer worked.Although they could see the effects of the illness, people in this region were obsessed with the cause of the illness, and felt the need to understand AIDS through a constructed narrative of blame.A deep belief in their religion led villagers to look for the source of witchcraft that could possibly be harming them, and elaborate stories about neighbors, jealousies, and rivalries flourished as a result.Any improvement in the standing of one member of the society (through wealth, status, relationships, acquisition of property or food, or political power through employment or marriage) adds to the structure of distrust and blame.

Farmer's book shows how disturbingly complex and deep the layers of mistrust, misinformation, and the effects of racism, are.Among the medical hypotheses for the probable exposure is the theory of Haitian sex-workers' contacts through gay tourists to the early strains of HIV.Farmer outlines the long history of Haiti as a gay tourist attraction, and Duvalier's encouragement of tourism as a boost to the domestic economy.Although the possible cause of the gay sex trade for HIV exposure has not been confirmed, medical establishments in the U.S. based their theories of causation on other factors, such as Haitian religious practices.These theories were, in truth, reinforcing longstanding ignorance and racist misunderstandings about Haitian vodou.Stereotypes and racial profiling of Haitian citizenship as a "risk factor" (one of the "Four H's" along with hemophiliac, homosexual, and heroin user), contributed to public policies against Haitian immigrants.Haitians' belief that they are being attacked by some evil sorcery in the guise of a fatal illness called sida falls into place amidst the context of extreme antagonism and injustice.

While reading this book, I was compelled to ask myself if there isn't some truth in Haitians' understanding of AIDS as the result of malicious sorcery.Haiti was the only American society to successfully result from the direct action of a revolution against slavery and colonialism.As such, the small nation governed by creoles and black ex-slaves presented a threat to North and South American colonial societies, which were firmly entrenched in slave labor economic systems.Historically, the threat of a repeat of the Haitian revolution must have terrified white European landowners.This terror of African power and strength has been passed on in a racist legacy, adapted to political policies and nationalist agendas, and still exists in ignorant beliefs about AIDS and its causes.Haitians believe that they are victims of a longstanding racist agenda, and they may in fact be right.Farmer's book begins to illuminate some of the complicated historical and ethnographic realities of the overlapping connections between illness and racism, and between causes and effects.

One of the 4-Hs shouldn't be.
This book dispels the common myths of Haitians and AIDS. It also shows very clearly the heavy involvement of the United States in creating the poverty Haiti has faced. This book makes use of statistics well, butunfortunately, at this point those stats are many years old. When Farmerwrote this book, only three people in the village of Do Kay had died ofAIDS. Now, with huge percentages of Haitians exposed to HIV, the picturemust certainly look different. This book is a geat candidate for a revisededition some time in the future.

Informative and thought provoking
I read this book for a medical anthropology class and found it incredibly interesting in its discussion of the politics and racism involved in the US treatment of AIDS in Haiti.It delves intohow the American presence andinfluences lead to and exasperated the widespread AIDS and poverty problemsin Haiti.

Informative and thought provoking
I read this book for a medical anthropology class and found it incredibly interesting in its discussion of the politics and racism involved in the US treatment of AIDS in Haiti.It delves intohow the American presence andinfluences lead to and exasperated the widespread AIDS and poverty problemsin Haiti. ... Read more

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Introduces the land, history, government, people, and economy of the Caribbean's "Black Republic." ... Read more

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During two centuries of independence from colonial rule, Haiti has developed into a society quite distinct from those found in the rest of the region. Hollywood-derived images of black magic and Graham Greene-inspired conceptions of a "nightmare republic" do scant justice to the reality of life for those who make up the third largest population in the Caribbean. How did the slaves of France's most prosperous colony defeat the armies of Napoleon, Spain, and Britain? Why did the U.S. occupation of 1915-34 fail to establish a plantation economy in Haiti? Haiti in Focus is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country. The guide explores the land, history and politics, economy, society and people, culture and environment, and includes tips on where to go and what to see. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Great Overview of Haiti
This little book is very thorough, accurate, and informative.This book isn't meant for the causual globe-trotting tourist but for someone who really wants to understand Haiti.The book touches on several subjects (history, agriculture, politics, religion) and then links the subjects together in a simple but thorough way that makes sense.

It also touches on important but obscure subjects like why the well-intentioned eradication of the poor farmers' "Creole Pigs" in the 1980s led to much of the rural problems today.Or why 5 Gourdes (Haiti money) is called "one dollar", which is something that confuses new visitors.

This isn't a deep, complex book either.It's easy to read.And it doesn't seem to have any particular political bias.

If you want a good book on Haiti, this is it!

Not much depth but good approach
Too bad the book is too short and doe not go into the details of the pre- and post- independence periods of Haiti, whiwh are crucial for the country's future to come then. Otherwise a good 1st approach to the global situation of Haiti.

Good overview of Haiti
Don't purchase this book if you're looking for an in-depth travel book, an economic or cultural primer. Do purchase this book if you would like to get a general overview of Haiti, that includes a brief mention of the voodoo religion (spelled voodou in the book). It's a good starter book to learn more about the unspoken half of island of Hispanola. A quick read.

Haiti - a short introduction
This is a thin booklet providing a nice overview of Haitian culure, politics and history: it contains a little bit of everything, illustrated by photographs. The scope of the book is limited, however, and considering political conflicts and agenda, it has aged a bit since 2002 edition. I like the fact that the booklet invites you to further reading, including online resources. At times, I found the language a bit twisted and information a bit insufficient (which is to be expected). If you feel you're missing some general knowledge on Haiti, this is an excellent book to start with (and easy to take with you anywhere), but make sure you update yourself with the latest political issues, before making a decision to travel there. In the time of writing this review, most Western countries advise their citizens not to travel to Haiti. That being said, I think the front page photo provides a great insight ...

great info on Haiti
really comprehensive view of politics and life in haiti. useful tips for the traveler to Haiti including where to buy condoms! ... Read more

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Describes Haiti, its history, geography, people, and customs. ... Read more

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Chapters: Labadee, Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, Bois Caïman, Hispaniolan Pine Forests, Septentrional-Orient Fault Zone, Pic Macaya National Park, Tiburon Peninsula, Haiti, La Visite National Park, List of Islands of Haiti, Plain of the Cul-De-Sac. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 39. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Labadee -In 1991, a journalist revealed that passengers who disembarked at the location were not informed they were in Haiti. In November 2001, a crew member from the luxury cruise line "Royal Caribbean" was attacked on Labadee in an apparent robbery. The assailants were arrested by Haitian police. In February 2004, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended use of the stop due to political unrest in the country. However, Royal Caribbean has since returned to using this private port. In 2009, Royal Caribbean made US$55 million improvements to the facilities, including upgrading port facilities to allow docking of their largest cruise ships. In January 2010, just after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Royal Caribbean decided to continue its luxury cruises to the private port. The corporation announced it would be donating US$1 million to fund relief efforts in Haiti, and to use cruise ships to ferry relief supplies and personnel. The location is named after Marquis de La'Badie, a Frenchman who first settled the area in the 1600s. The spelling was changed to "Labadee" to make it easier for English-speakers to pronounce. Labadee beach, Haïti, close to Cap-Haïtien. ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=2526248 ... Read more

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Chapters: Geography of Cuba, Geography of Haiti, Geography of Jamaica, Geography of Puerto Rico, Geography of the Bahamas, Geography of the Cayman Islands, Geography of the Dominican Republic, List of Lakes in Puerto Rico, Climate of Puerto Rico, Levittown, Puerto Rico, Labadee, List of Islands of Puerto Rico, Cibao, Zapata Swamp, Cuban Dry Forests, Mogotes de Jumagua, Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, Larimar, Puerto Rico Trench, Bahamian Dry Forests, Loma Del Capiro, Cuban Moist Forests, Puerto Rican Dry Forests, Cuban Cactus Scrub, List of Places in Cuba, Los Minas, Villa Duarte, Mona Passage, Bahamian Pineyards, Bois Caïman, Misteriosa Bank, Ciudad Universitaria, Distrito Nacional, Cámboya, Hispaniolan Pine Forests, Geology of Puerto Rico, Ranked List of Cuban Provinces, Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Septentrional-Orient Fault Zone, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Punta Caucedo, Navidad Bank, Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte, Villa Juana, Inagua National Park, Ensanche Simón Bolívar, Jardín Botanico, Piantini, La Esperilla, Nuestra Señora de La Paz, Samaná Peninsula, Bella Vista, Distrito Nacional, General Antonio Duvergé, Paseo de Los Indíos, Cerros de Arroyo Hondo, Centro de Los Heroes, Ensanche Luperón, Honduras Del Norte, Honduras Del Oeste, María Auxiliadora, Ensanche La Fé, Jardín Zoologico, Jardínes Del Sur, Mejoramiento Social, Los Ríos, Distrito Nacional, Buenos Aires, Paraíso, Distrito Nacional, Los Jardínes, San Geronímo, 24 de Abril, Ensanche Capotillo, Nuevo Arroyo Hondo, 30 de Mayo, Altos de Arroyo Hondo, El Millón, Gualey, Gazcue, Ensanche Espaillat, Viejo Arroyo Hondo, Ensanche Naco, Los Restauradores, Tropical Metaldom, List of Reservoirs of Puerto Rico, Arroyo Manzano, Villa Francisca, Julieta Morales, Los Prados, Los Cacicazgos, Puerto Isabela, San Juan Bosco, Villa Consuelo, Domingo Sabio, Los Peralejos, Mirador Norte, Ciudad Nueva, La Hondonada, Renacimiento, La Agustina, Mirador Sur, Cristo R...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=9209153 ... Read more

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Chapters: Port International de Port-Au-Prince, Grand-Goâve, Port-De-Paix, Les Cayes, Môle Saint-Nicolas, Jérémie, Ouest Department, Ouanaminthe, Fort-Liberté, Nord-Ouest Department, Kenscoff, Port-Salut, Mirebalais, Gonaïves, Milot, Miragoâne, Saint-Raphaël, Haiti, Thomonde, Carrefour, Haiti, Cavaellon, Artibonite Department, Marmelade, Bahon, Haiti, Baradères, Anse-À-Pitres, Belladère, Petite Rivière de L'artibonite, Montrouis, Dessalines, Bombardopolis, Malpasse, Desdunes, Deschapelles, Grande Saline, Verrettes, Trouin, Île à Vache, Durissy, Haiti, Nord Department, Bel Air, Haiti, Bois Caïman, Les Palmes, Haiti, Jean-Rabel, Gressier, Saut-D'eau, Port-Au-Prince Arrondissement, Titanyen, Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cayes-Jacmel, Etang Saumâtre, Sud-Est Department, Pignon, Grand'anse Department, Morne a Chandelle, Haiti, Dame-Marie, Grand'anse, La Vallée, Haiti, Limonade, Léogâne Arrondissement, Borgne, Lasource, Haiti, Artibonite River, L'estère, Lake Péligre, United States Miscellaneous Caribbean Islands, Boucan-Carré, Petite-Rivière-De-Nippes, Aquin, Jacmel Arrondissement, Gros-Morne, Saint-Michel-De-L'atalaye, Saint-Louis-Du-Nord, Sud Department, Arcahaie, Grande-Rivière-Du-Nord, Beaumont, Grand'anse, Dondon, Acul-Du-Nord, Pointe-À-Raquette, Anse-D'hainault, Bonbon, Grand'anse, Fonds-Verrettes, Centre Department, Petit-Trou-De-Nippes, Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement, Anse-À-Foleur, Baie-De-Henne, Pic Macaya National Park, Cabaret, Ouest, Cerca-La-Source, Abricots, Rivière de Grand Goâve, Anse-À-Galets, Saint-Louis-Du-Sud, Chambellan, Plaisance, Nord, Cornillon, Ouest, Saint-Jean-Du-Sud, La Chapelle, Artibonite, Trou Caïman, Les Irois, Anse-À-Veau, La Victoire, Haiti, Plaine-Du-Nord, Mombin-Crochu, Chardonnières, Sainte-Suzanne, Haiti, Thomassique, Quartier-Morin, Bassin-Bleu, Ganthier, Cerca-Cavajal, Terre-Neuve, Artibonite, Mont-Organisé, Trou-Du-Nord, Terrier-Rouge, Côtes-De-Fer, Thomazeau, Anse-Rouge, Bas-...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=25847953 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Republic of Haiti comprises the western third of the island of Hispaniola, west of the Dominican Republic. It is positioned between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Haiti's geographic coordinates are at a longitude of 72° 25′ west and a latitude of 19° 00′ north. The total area is 27,750 square kilometres, of which 27,560 square kilometres is land and 190 square kilometres is water. Haiti is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland. Haiti has 1,771 km of coastline and a 360 kilometres border with the Dominican Republic. ... Read more

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Chapters: Geography of Haiti, Geography of the Dominican Republic, Labadee, Cibao, Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, Larimar, Los Minas, Villa Duarte, Bois Caïman, Ciudad Universitaria, Distrito Nacional, Cámboya, Hispaniolan Pine Forests, Septentrional-Orient Fault Zone, Punta Caucedo, Navidad Bank, Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte, Villa Juana, Ensanche Simón Bolívar, Jardín Botanico, Piantini, La Esperilla, Nuestra Señora de La Paz, Samaná Peninsula, Bella Vista, Distrito Nacional, General Antonio Duvergé, Paseo de Los Indíos, Cerros de Arroyo Hondo, Centro de Los Heroes, Ensanche Luperón, Honduras Del Norte, Honduras Del Oeste, María Auxiliadora, Ensanche La Fé, Jardín Zoologico, Jardínes Del Sur, Mejoramiento Social, Los Ríos, Distrito Nacional, Buenos Aires, Paraíso, Distrito Nacional, Los Jardínes, San Geronímo, 24 de Abril, Ensanche Capotillo, Nuevo Arroyo Hondo, 30 de Mayo, Altos de Arroyo Hondo, El Millón, Gualey, Gazcue, Ensanche Espaillat, Viejo Arroyo Hondo, Ensanche Naco, Los Restauradores, Tropical Metaldom, Arroyo Manzano, Villa Francisca, Julieta Morales, Los Prados, Los Cacicazgos, Puerto Isabela, San Juan Bosco, Villa Consuelo, Domingo Sabio, Los Peralejos, Mirador Norte, Ciudad Nueva, La Hondonada, Renacimiento, La Agustina, Mirador Sur, Cristo Rey, Distrito Nacional, Palma Real, Miraflores, Distrito Nacional, San Carlos, Distrito Nacional, La Isabela, Distrito Nacional, Quisqueya, Distrito Nacional, San Diego, Distrito Nacional, La Julia, Cacique, Distrito Nacional, La Zurza, Miramar, Distrito Nacional, Atala, Distrito Nacional, Pic Macaya National Park, Tiburon Peninsula, Haiti, La Visite National Park, List of Islands of Haiti, Cordillera Septentrional, Plain of the Cul-De-Sac, Diego de Ocampo, Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 208. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from m...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=8064 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great book!
Fick's book reveals unknown aspects of the haitian revolution: the fundamental role of the masses without witch the revolution would not have taken place. This book is for anyone who is trying to understand the haitian revolution from the people's point of view. It is the equivalent of Zen's People's history of the U.S.

A Masterpiece!
This book is not only a great companion to CLR James' classic, The Black Jacobins, it also initiates a deeper understanding of the forces and factors that were at the root of the revolution. Whereas James' work tends to mythesize leaders, particularly Toussaint, Fick's work is more likely to detail specific battles and events with information on multiple actors. The only trouble is that Fick's book lacks some of the moral indignation that James had as well as his interest in connecting the Haitian Revolution to the political context of modern times. This makes the book more "scholarly" but less compelling. This is a small drawback, however, for those already impassioned about the subject.

A new most important aspect of Fick's book is her emphasis and redefinition of the role of the maroons (escaped slaves). Whereas many times the maroons are portrayed as only peripheral actors or precedents to the revolution, Fick's work shows that the community of escaped slave, a very broad category, was one of the main forces at work in the revolution.

This book is a must for understanding maroonage, the Haitian Revolution, and a historical investigative method that is liberating!

Revising A Classic {4 1/2 stars}
How to follow in the footsteps of a great historian? One answer is found in this important successor to CLR James's "Black Jacobins." Fick effectively honors James's legacy by expanding the scope of inquiry to encompass the "self-activity" of historical actors at all levels of Haitian society. Where "Black Jacobins" stressed the key role of revolutionary leaders, Fick documents longstanding patterns of everyday resistance and marronage from which the 1791 revolution drew great strength. Her work restores popular agency to the forefront of Haiti's epic history---and James's contribution remains secure, not least due to superior literary merit. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the compilation of a 5-year computer research project on HAITI by Antoine Boulos at the University of Southern California, School of Architecture in Los Angeles, CA. This research project, under the guidance of Professor Charles Steve Dwyer and with the collaboration of Architect Ngok Lung Ha, is a compilation of more than 8,000,000 numbers that were analysed and digitized into the system. The project goal was to divide Haiti in cells of 1 km², followed by the recording, per square kilometer, of more than 25 land characteristics such as topography, ecology, precipitations, geology, lithology, vegetal cover, population, roads... These informations were then analysed and superimposed to produce new data for Haiti such as:

3-Dimensional Views of Haiti / Slope Map / Aspect Map / Drainage Map / Elevations Map / Solar Exposure Maps / Visibily Studies / Agricultural Potential maps for more than 20 crops and much more.

The book is very graphical and contains more than 60 glossy maps of Haiti. Each map represented is acompanied by a reference page showing results & statistics relating to that map. The legend on the maps is in english (on the map) and in french (on the statistic page). Although written in french, the graphical nature of the book make it accessible to any non-french speaking individual. ... Read more

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This travel book is part of a series inviting young readers to explore the six continents. Each title includes a survey of the country's history, geography, culture, government, industry, agriculture, place in the world and a suggestion of what the future may hold. ... Read more