UN discourse and information power: An illustration via HIV/AIDS news in Uganda

Abstract

International organizations disseminate vast amounts of information on social problems. To what extent
does this dissemination manifest in discourse and information power? That is to say, how do countrylevel actors respond to international information on HIV/AIDS? This paper addresses this question
using Uganda as case study and examines how actors adopt, modify, or ignore information
disseminated by UN organizations. Using news content analysis, it is discerned that while international
information is influential, country actors exercise agency. They identify and adopt specific international
information that accord with their particular objectives and situations. With respect to national adoption
of international information, the extent to which country policy actors adopt international information
derives from country experiences and relations with the international community. International
information is not imposed on blank canvases; it intersects with domestic politics. Regional information
on HIV/AIDS has also developed on issues like donor fraud and government corruption, traditional
medicine, and access to antiretroviral treatment.