Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission

In accounts of hepatitis C, subtle distinctions are frequently made between “innocent” and “guilty” forms of transmission. Although such distinctions have been extensively critiqued, they continue to manifest in indirect ways, such as the articulation of emotions. We argue for a critical approach to...

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Main Authors: Seear, K., Fraser, Suzanne, Lenton, E.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Federal Legal Publications, Inc 2010
Online Access:http://www.federallegalpublications.com/contemporary-drug-problems/201106/cdp-2010-37-4-05-seear-guilty-or-angry-politics-of-emotion-account
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/19586
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author Seear, K.
Fraser, Suzanne
Lenton, E.
author_facet Seear, K.
Fraser, Suzanne
Lenton, E.
author_sort Seear, K.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In accounts of hepatitis C, subtle distinctions are frequently made between “innocent” and “guilty” forms of transmission. Although such distinctions have been extensively critiqued, they continue to manifest in indirect ways, such as the articulation of emotions. We argue for a critical approach to the way in which emotions function in accounts of hepatitis C by analyzing textual accounts of hepatitis C, and interviews with people who have hepatitis C in Australia. Drawing upon the work of theorist Sara Ahmed, we argue that emotions work to constitute subjects, objects, and collectivities, including some individuals and excluding others. In this regard, the articulation of emotion can contribute to the marginalization and stigmatization of people living with hepatitis C. We also explore ways people with hepatitis C negotiate frameworks of guilt/responsibility. We conclude by considering how health promotion and policy texts might better address emotional responses to diagnosis without reproducing stigmatizing assumptions.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-195862017-01-30T12:14:40Z Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission Seear, K. Fraser, Suzanne Lenton, E. In accounts of hepatitis C, subtle distinctions are frequently made between “innocent” and “guilty” forms of transmission. Although such distinctions have been extensively critiqued, they continue to manifest in indirect ways, such as the articulation of emotions. We argue for a critical approach to the way in which emotions function in accounts of hepatitis C by analyzing textual accounts of hepatitis C, and interviews with people who have hepatitis C in Australia. Drawing upon the work of theorist Sara Ahmed, we argue that emotions work to constitute subjects, objects, and collectivities, including some individuals and excluding others. In this regard, the articulation of emotion can contribute to the marginalization and stigmatization of people living with hepatitis C. We also explore ways people with hepatitis C negotiate frameworks of guilt/responsibility. We conclude by considering how health promotion and policy texts might better address emotional responses to diagnosis without reproducing stigmatizing assumptions. 2010 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/19586 http://www.federallegalpublications.com/contemporary-drug-problems/201106/cdp-2010-37-4-05-seear-guilty-or-angry-politics-of-emotion-account Federal Legal Publications, Inc restricted
spellingShingle Seear, K.
Fraser, Suzanne
Lenton, E.
Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title_full Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title_fullStr Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title_full_unstemmed Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title_short Guilty or Angry? The politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis C transmission
title_sort guilty or angry? the politics of emotion in accounts of hepatitis c transmission
url http://www.federallegalpublications.com/contemporary-drug-problems/201106/cdp-2010-37-4-05-seear-guilty-or-angry-politics-of-emotion-account
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/19586