“Fat People Are More Respected”: Socio-Cultural Construction of Obesity and Overweight Risk &amp; Prevention in Ugandan Communities

Neema, Stella; Mutungi, Gerald; Mwebaze, Sheila; Bahendeka, Silver

doi:10.1007/978-981-16-2546-6_7

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…African culture and traditions also contribute to sensemaking about non-communicable diseases. Obesity is seen as an enviable artefact of wealth (Neema et al, 2021), Alzheimer's is attributed to witchcraft (Maduna and Loos, 2021), while deaths in pregnancy and HIV/AIDS are attributed to the will of God or witchcraft (Aliyu, 2021;Ashforth, 2002). Of note, medical pluralism, or healer shopping, is also common across Africa, as the public searches for cures from traditional healers, churches and hospitals, at times in parallel or in sequence (Falade and Bauer, 2018;Moshabela et al, 2017).…”

Section: African Culture Beliefs and Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Where are the graves of coronavirus victims?’ Beliefs, conspiracy theories and representations of COVID-19 in Africa

Falade

2022

Cultures of Science

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The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected everyday life in Africa, a continent that is known for its high levels of religious belief. Using a corpus of news articles and the social representations research paradigm, this study examines African understandings of the pandemic. It uses installation theory, the wind rose model and the accommodation hypothesis to explore the coexistence between science and belief. The accommodation hypothesis demonstrates that the representations were hierarchical, to elevate God above science. Faith leaders also used the pandemic to enhance faith by blaming sin and urging repentance or blaming science by espousing conspiracy theories about the pandemic being a grand design to draw believers away from God. This paper highlights the great disparity in experience between Africa and the West, initially fuelling conspiracy theories. The findings also reinforce two key conceptual approaches: installation theory on the influence of rules imposed by society on behaviour, and the wind rose model in which representations change over time and in response to social interactions.

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Section: African Culture Beliefs and Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Where are the graves of coronavirus victims?’ Beliefs, conspiracy theories and representations of COVID-19 in Africa

Falade

2022

Cultures of Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“Fat People Are More Respected”: Socio-Cultural Construction of Obesity and Overweight Risk & Prevention in Ugandan Communities

Cited by 1 publication

References 20 publications

‘Where are the graves of coronavirus victims?’ Beliefs, conspiracy theories and representations of COVID-19 in Africa

‘Where are the graves of coronavirus victims?’ Beliefs, conspiracy theories and representations of COVID-19 in Africa

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