The Most Vulnerable

Answer any FOUR from the questions below (unless otherwise indicated) from The Most Vulnerable: Women, HIV and Islam in Mali. You should answer them thoroughly and limit the entire assignment to a maximum four type-written pages. Papers should be 12pt font Times New Roman (or similar font) and double-spaced, MLA format with your name and class/section number included at the top. The margins should be no wider than 1.5 inches on the top and bottom, and no wider than 1 inch on either side. Failure to properly follow directions will result in a lower grade. Please label each question and number the pages.

1. Describe three rites of passage experienced by any of the women (or men) in the book.

2. Discuss the role that culture played in at least three women who contracted HIV.

3. What lesson did you take from the experience of Ami Cisse. What did you learn from this story?

4. What role did family influences play in the experiences of Fatimata Keita, Sitan Kane, and Tata Coulibaly?

5. Was there any connection among the above five stories (i.e. in question 4)? If so, discuss them.

6. What role did religion play in the experiences of any of Mary Thera, Asiata Togola, Rebecca Kansaye, and Wasa Sanou?

7. What advocacy organizations (or agencies) were prominent in any of these stories?

8. What story did you find especially interesting? What was it about that story that intrigued you?

9. Discuss the role of stigma in three of the stories (please identify them) and its impact.

10. Discuss the impact that Fatimata Musa’s story had on you? Given her age, was there anything in her story that you were able to relate to?

11. Discuss the impact that Oumou Ouattara’s story had on you. What have you learned from this class that can apply to her narrative?

12. Discuss the impact that Mariatou Dembele’s story had on you. What have you learned from this class that can apply to her narrative?

13. Discuss the two men included in The Most Vulnerable. What did their narratives tell you? Did you notice any gender inequities in their stories? What have you learned from this class that can apply to her narrative?

14. What role did traditional healers play in any of these stories? Identify THREE scenarios in which such contact took place.

15. Re-read section in the book’s Introduction, “Religion or Culture.” Now that you have read the work, pick THREE narratives in which questions the assertions made in that section.