Today, more than 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and well over 20 million more have died since the first case was diagnosed in 1981. When we include families and loved ones in the raw demographics, HIV/AIDS has touched a population at least equal to that of the United States. This collection of essays examines the complexity of the mobilization against HIV/AIDS, from the perspective of social action on one hand and the state on the other.
We thank Andrea Densham, Jeff Edwards, and the anonymous reviewers for their dedication and critical engagement. We also extend our gratitude to those AIDS activists and their friends and loved ones whose open participation makes research of this kind possible.