LIVING A "NORMAL" LIFE. Perceptions and practices of albinism in the wake of humanitarianism

Abstract

Living a “normal” life. Perceptions and practices of albinism in the wake of humanitarianism

The present article highlights ideas, discourses, and practices of people with albinism in the wake of humanitarian actions and (inter)national media debates about the stigma and social issues they face in Tanzania. Based on 11 months of qualitative research, the analysis reveals how perceptions of albinism are linked to moral/religious and local ideas, global circulation of humanitarian practices and (bio)medical information on the congenital condition. Therefore, the ethnographic findings demonstrate that values originating at the global level and (bio)medical explanations of albinism influence how people with albinism perceive and make sense of the congenital condition.