Background: Although European countries are expected to share certain norms about health care, rates of HIV infection and the resources available for prevention and treatment vary considerably across the region. These differences are shaped by variations in political processes, policy developments, and activist initiatives. Under these conditions, various forms of “citizenship” emerge, meaning that people are granted rights in relation to HIV, such as the right to treatment, and these rights also come with responsibilities.The EUROPACH project will thus explore the relations between developments of the past – such as the elaboration of local health policies and the building of community-based networks – and the current conditions of care provision and concepts of citizenship throughout Europe.

Scope: The project focuses on HIV/AIDS “policy worlds” in Germany, Poland, Turkey, the UK, and at the European level. Investigating “policy worlds” means analysing, not only policy instruments, but also the practices of policy development, negotiation and contestation. As these national cases have each had a different relationship with the European Union and other Europe-focused projects, they have been selected to understand and grasp “Europe” and the notion of “citizenship” as shifting and thereby unstable entities.

Methods: EUROPACH is based on close cooperation between the project’s 4 research teams, and the 14 associated non-academic partners (APs) who will serve as advisors during the research process. Team members will conduct archival research and interviews with key actors in the field; they will observe and participate in spaces of care provision, activism and policy development; and will also explore artists’ responses to the epidemic.

Outputs: In order to illustrate the local and transnational histories that have come to shape existing policy worlds, the project will develop an interactive map to be housed on the project’s website, and an archive of the history of HIV/AIDS in Europe. These outputs are intended to help contribute to the development of new strategies to  counter the continuing severity and spread of the epidemic.

Acknowledgement: We would like to thank the following artists and photographers for providing us with pictures for the website: 

// Jet Budelman

// Vala Tomasz Foltyn, Lamella - the house of queer arts

// LGBTI75, Creative Commons

// Bluerasberry, Creative Commons

// ACT UP Norwich and Will Nutland, scan courtesy of Siân Cook of hivgraphiccommunication.com