Books by Zoran Milosavljevic
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Articles by Zoran Milosavljevic
Serbian Journal of Public Health, 2024
This article problematises similarities in social responses to two different types of prevention ... more This article problematises similarities in social responses to two different types of prevention - antiretrovirals in the form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV transmission, and the emerging COVID-19 vaccines against the SARS-COV2 virus. For the purpose of this article, I have revisited the work of Mary Douglas, British social anthropologist (1921-2007) on risk and social responses to risk. In the late 1980s, Mary Douglas described patterns and modalities of social response to risk in emerging epidemics. The same pattern of social dynamics and response could be followed in relation to two pandemics of the 21st century - first, an HIV pandemic that started in the early 80s and in which prevention breakthrough occurred in 2012 with the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis - PrEP; and second, the COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020 with newly developed vaccines in 2021 as public health response to it.
Key words: HIV, COVID-19, discourses, PrEP, vaccines, risk
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Glasnik - Serbian Journal of Public Health, 2023
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InterAlia - A Journal of Queer Studies, 2021
This article explores the different ways in which gay men in Serbia perceive PrEP as a novel meth... more This article explores the different ways in which gay men in Serbia perceive PrEP as a novel method of HIV prevention. In the article, I draw on data from my research on PrEP use among thirty gay men in Belgrade. The use of PrEP is still very low amongst gay communities in Serbia due to their rejection of PrEP and due to the stigma around PrEP use. In Serbia, the social significance of PrEP relates to HIV status disclosure on gay social/dating media. Paradoxically, on gay dating sites, the signifier "PrEP" blurs the line between HIV positive gay men-who have achieved undetectable HIV status through a potent ARV therapy-and those HIV negative gay men who use PrEP as a preventative tool against HIV transmission. In the article, I will argue that a new form of gay identity has emerged on gay dating apps in Serbia-"undetectable, on PrEP." This new identity emerges from confusion in HIV risk assessment. The use of PrEP has been seen as a marker to denote someone's HIV negative status and to protect them from HIV transmission. However, some gay men with an undetectable HIV status would like to be regarded as HIV negative even though they are not, and thus they use the signifier "on PrEP" to highlight their desire to claim an HIV negative status. PrEP has many symbolic valences: from HIV status disclosure to assumed promiscuity. As I will argue, while the health paradigm is of utmost importance for Serbian gay men, internalized stigma additionally drives the low uptake of PrEP amongst gay communities in Serbia, thus contributing to the confusion regarding PrEP use and the overall approach to HIV prevention. This article finds that those respondents who accept PrEP without stigma or confusion regarding their HIV status are also more willing and ready to recommend using PrEP to other gay men.
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This paper will discuss the happiness–health paradigm among gay men in Serbia. It will explore th... more This paper will discuss the happiness–health paradigm among gay men in Serbia. It will explore the dynamics of happiness among gay men who use online communication. Those men are increasingly under the risk of contracting HIV as a result of unsafe sex that follows from the play of virtual identities. The perception of happiness, the sense of fulfilment and the threat of HIV/AIDS are explored through the narratives of 25 gay men from Serbia. The sense of happiness is structured around sexual desires and the possibilities for their fulfilment, but also on the play with identity in cyberspace and intimate communication. Gay men disclose parts of their identity, but disguising HIV/AIDS status can potentially lead to HIV transmission as a result of unsafe sexual practices. Health identity is sometimes replaced by an 'immunological equilibrium' introduced by ARV (antiretroviral therapy) and expressed as 'undetectable viral load'. Online representations are influenced by the notion of immunological equilibrium, too. While for some gay men this represents the potential for the fulfilment of sexual desires, for others it is a most terrifying moment that provokes fear and horror of potential HIV/AIDS and other STI infection as expressed in their narratives.
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Conference presentation by Zoran Milosavljevic
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Talks by Zoran Milosavljevic
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This presentation will analyze modalities of gay self-representations in online communication in ... more This presentation will analyze modalities of gay self-representations in online communication in Serbia that consequently lead to HIV/AIDS transmission in real life. The intention of this research is to analyze identity constructions on gay dating sites (GayRomeo, GaySerbia.com, Grindr) in connection with health status and disclosure online. Gay men from different gay subcultures are transforming self-representations in online communication by using different strategies. In this presentation I will analyze the cases of 'strategic (in)visibility, generationing and stealthing among Serbian gay men. The play with the Self and gay online identities are structured around the state of 'immunological equilibrium', introduced by ARV therapy, as a substitute for health that helps to establish the dynamism of healthy/unhealthy in online identity constructions. The combination of virtual ethnography on gay dating sites and gay men's narratives will highlight the cases of specific representational strategies. I will point out the connections between the use of cyberspace and virtual communication, biomedicalization of gay identity and HIV/AIDS in Serbia. The play with the Self in online gay representations could consequently lead to unwelcomed outcomes for gay men such HIV/AIDS spreading is.
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Books by Zoran Milosavljevic
Articles by Zoran Milosavljevic
Key words: HIV, COVID-19, discourses, PrEP, vaccines, risk
Conference presentation by Zoran Milosavljevic
Talks by Zoran Milosavljevic
Key words: HIV, COVID-19, discourses, PrEP, vaccines, risk