"Lipstick Girls" and "Fallen Women": AIDS and Conspiratorial Thinking in Papua, Indonesia

摘要: A widespread theory in the province of Papua, Eastern Indonesia, links spread sex workers and HIV/AIDS to a broader government conspiracy eliminate indigenous Papuans. Explicit conspiratorial thinking by Papuans draws from diverse evidence such as provincial partition legislation, patterns sex-industry usage, economic transformations, rumors witchcraft, new automobile technology. This article argues against treating theories about AIDS simply symbolically powerful expressing Papuans' perceptions oppression unequal access state resources. Rather, articulate awareness inconsistencies government's formulation administration sexual regulations AIDS-prevention policies. can therefore be understood pragmatic detailed interpretations Papuan lived experiences context ethnically disenfranchising forms power post-Suharto Indonesia.