This article questions why a somewhat singular focus on orphanhood in the context of
AIDS persists despite important shifts to more inclusive terminology of
‘orphans and vulnerable children’. Analysis of data from South
Africa raises questions about the ‘spin’ placed on
‘orphanhood’ and its perceived consequences for children. Local
notions of vulnerability and of orphanhood are examined, and their mismatch with
international policy definitions noted. The article illustrates how the global focus
on orphans consolidates stereotypes of children's experiences, and
moderates local applications of the term. It concludes by arguing that the global
preoccupation with orphans and their rights as children ‘in need of
special protection’ is shifting the terrain of orphanhood at a local level
in South Africa, and producing new struggles on the ground. The article argues for
careful attention to be paid to conceptual and representational issues by those
writing about and responding to childhoods in the context of AIDS.
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