{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T06:07:51Z","timestamp":1782799671187,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":117,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,22]],"date-time":"2017-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1498089600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Soc Stud Sci"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>In this paper, I examine disputes over recent claims that male circumcision reduces HIV risk to suggest a complicated relationship between risk individualization and categorization. Whereas randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in sub-Saharan Africa appear to have provided key evidence for the World Health Organization\u2019s endorsement of male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy, RCTs alone did not provide evidence for the underlying causal mechanism. For that, medical authorities have turned to histo-immunological studies of the foreskin\u2019s biomolecular vulnerability to HIV, thus molecularizing risk. Some actors used these studies both as a way of shoring up results of RCTs conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and as an important rationale in arguments for making neonatal circumcision more widely available. Others, however, resisted this move to generalize the RCT results to other parts of the world, citing both contextual differences in HIV transmission patterns and conflicting scientific details regarding the biomolecular basis of the foreskin\u2019s susceptibility. Nevertheless, by locating an abstract notion of relative risk in the body itself, I argue that histological studies of foreskin have played a key role in stabilizing male circumcision status as a new risk category, largely independent of a given individual\u2019s risk profile.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/0306312717707360","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,22]],"date-time":"2017-06-22T08:17:31Z","timestamp":1498119451000},"page":"655-680","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Foreskin and the molecular politics of risk"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"47","author":[{"given":"Aaron T","family":"Norton","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0968-8080(07)29303-6"},{"issue":"8","key":"bibr2-0306312717707360","first-page":"446","volume":"86","author":"Alcena V","year":"1986","journal-title":"New York State Journal of Medicine"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr3-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.84.2.388","volume":"84","author":"American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)","year":"1989","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"bibr4-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.103.3.686"},{"key":"bibr5-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2012-1989"},{"key":"bibr6-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2012-1990"},{"key":"bibr7-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Standards and Recommendations for Hospital Care of Newborn Infants","author":"American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn","year":"1971"},{"key":"bibr8-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/648472"},{"key":"bibr9-0306312717707360","first-page":"21","volume-title":"Three Shots at Prevention: The HPV Vaccine and the Politics of Medicine\u2019s Simple Solutions","author":"Aronowitz R","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr10-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7208\/chicago\/9780226049854.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr11-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/jme.2003.007039"},{"key":"bibr12-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.0020298"},{"key":"bibr13-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)60312-2"},{"key":"bibr14-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1215\/10407391-10-2-87"},{"key":"bibr15-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1209017110"},{"key":"bibr16-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity","author":"Beck U","year":"1992"},{"key":"bibr17-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2014.903428"},{"key":"bibr18-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1162\/152651603766436216"},{"key":"bibr19-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01459740802022777"},{"key":"bibr20-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMms1604593"},{"key":"bibr21-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Bouscaillou J, Lissouba P, Auvert B (2012) Sauvons des vies avant de sauver les pr\u00e9puces! Available at: http:\/\/www.lemonde.fr\/idees\/article\/2012\/02\/16\/sauvons-des-vies-avant-de-sauver-les-prepuces_1643746_3232.html (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr22-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/acprof:osobl\/9780199841608.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr23-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/030631298028002003"},{"issue":"15","key":"bibr24-0306312717707360","first-page":"1651","volume":"306","author":"CDC","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr25-0306312717707360","unstructured":"CDC (2012) HIV Surveillance Report, Vol.24. Available at: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/hiv\/pdf\/library\/reports\/surveillance\/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2012-vol-24.pdf (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr26-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/9780822391258"},{"key":"bibr27-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services","author":"Cochrane AL","year":"1999"},{"key":"bibr28-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5694\/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03940.x"},{"key":"bibr29-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520931442"},{"key":"bibr30-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7208\/chicago\/9780226109787.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr31-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2014.957231"},{"key":"bibr32-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1753-6405.2011.00761.x"},{"key":"bibr33-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2013.817599"},{"key":"bibr34-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molmed.2007.11.001"},{"key":"bibr35-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nm1541"},{"key":"bibr36-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/QAD.0b013e3283367779"},{"key":"bibr37-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1309\/JVHQVDJDYKM58EPH"},{"key":"bibr38-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0968-8080(07)29302-4"},{"key":"bibr39-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1215\/9780822393481"},{"issue":"18","key":"bibr40-0306312717707360","first-page":"1","volume":"3","author":"Earp BD","year":"2015","journal-title":"Frontiers in Pediatrics"},{"key":"bibr41-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/MB.S63709"},{"key":"bibr42-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Impure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge","author":"Epstein S","year":"1996"},{"key":"bibr43-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM198610303151818"},{"key":"bibr44-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/014107689008301045"},{"key":"bibr45-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/QAD.0b013e328321b778"},{"key":"bibr46-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctv125jk5c.17"},{"key":"bibr47-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0897.2010.00933.x"},{"key":"bibr48-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2989\/AJAR.2008.7.1.1.429"},{"key":"bibr49-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3917\/sss.301.0039"},{"key":"bibr50-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1468-2230.00188"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr51-0306312717707360","first-page":"7","volume":"2","author":"Gielen V","year":"1989","journal-title":"Regional Immunology"},{"key":"bibr52-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Circumcision: A History of the World\u2019s Most Controversial Surgery","author":"Gollaher D","year":"2000"},{"key":"bibr53-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)60313-4"},{"key":"bibr54-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2010.07.010"},{"key":"bibr55-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Guanira J, Lama JR, Goicochea P, et al. (2007) How willing are gay men to \u201ccut off\u201d the epidemic? Circumcision among MSM in the Andean region. Presented at the 4th Annual International AIDS Society conference, Sydney, Australia, 25 July."},{"key":"bibr56-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5694\/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01353.x"},{"key":"bibr57-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(99)03421-2"},{"key":"bibr58-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4102\/sajhivmed.v8i1.630"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr59-0306312717707360","first-page":"475","volume":"85","author":"Hussain LA","year":"1995","journal-title":"Immunology"},{"key":"bibr60-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/9780262028660.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr61-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Kaiser Health News (2009) KHN Morning Briefing: New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Examine Male Circumcision Debate. Available at: http:\/\/khn.org\/morning-breakout\/hiv-083109-nyt-circumcision\/ (accessed 22 January 2016)."},{"key":"bibr62-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1000219"},{"key":"bibr63-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0277-9536(97)00188-3"},{"key":"bibr64-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jdermsci.2005.08.009"},{"key":"bibr65-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2989\/16085906.2011.575548"},{"key":"bibr66-0306312717707360","first-page":"27","volume":"113","author":"Langone J","year":"1985","journal-title":"Discover"},{"key":"bibr67-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/421123"},{"key":"bibr68-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1997.03540370042034"},{"key":"bibr69-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0162243907306855"},{"key":"bibr70-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Risk","author":"Lupton D","year":"1999"},{"key":"bibr71-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/01.aids.0000237364.11123.98"},{"key":"bibr72-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2013.11.028"},{"key":"bibr73-0306312717707360","volume-title":"The Progress of Experiment: Science and Therapeutic Reform in the United States, 1900-1990","author":"Marks HM","year":"2000"},{"key":"bibr74-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0306312709346579"},{"key":"bibr75-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Mayo Clinic (2012) HIV\/AIDS risk factors. Available at: http:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/hiv-aids\/basics\/risk-factors\/con-20013732 (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr76-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/aid.1994.10.1305"},{"key":"bibr77-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/bies.20654"},{"key":"bibr78-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09540121.2012.661836"},{"key":"bibr79-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1445-5994.2012.02823.x"},{"key":"bibr80-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2003.12.002"},{"key":"bibr81-0306312717707360","unstructured":"National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (2009) HIV\/AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia. Annual Surveillance Report. Available at: https:\/\/kirby.unsw.edu.au\/sites\/default\/files\/kirby\/report\/SERP_2009-Annual-Surveillance-Report.pdf (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr82-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/biosoc.2013.20"},{"key":"bibr83-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Inventing AIDS","author":"Patton C","year":"1990"},{"key":"bibr84-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Pognant P (2012) Il faut sauver les pr\u00e9puces! Le Monde, 24 January. Available at: http:\/\/www.lemonde.fr\/idees\/article\/2012\/01\/24\/il-faut-sauver-les-prepuces_1632492_3232.html (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr85-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(08)70156-7"},{"key":"bibr86-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511499418"},{"key":"bibr87-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Rabin RC (2009) The latest fight over the foreskin. Available at: http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2009\/08\/30\/weekinreview\/30rabin.html (accessed 20 January 2012)."},{"key":"bibr88-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/136346001004002004"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr89-0306312717707360","first-page":"3","volume":"4","author":"Remondino PC","year":"1894","journal-title":"National Popular Review"},{"key":"bibr90-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1258\/095646206778145730"},{"key":"bibr91-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/02632760122052020"},{"key":"bibr92-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/9781400827503"},{"key":"bibr93-0306312717707360","unstructured":"Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP) (2010) Circumcision of infant males. Available at: https:\/\/www.racp.edu.au\/docs\/default-source\/advocacy-library\/circumcision-of-infant-males.pdf (accessed 3 May 2017)."},{"key":"bibr94-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0008723"},{"key":"bibr95-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1162\/152651603766436298"},{"key":"bibr96-0306312717707360","volume-title":"Male Circumcision for Prevention of Heterosexual Acquisition of HIV in Men (Review)","author":"Siegfried N","year":"2009"},{"key":"bibr97-0306312717707360","first-page":"31","volume":"3","author":"Siegfried N","year":"2003","journal-title":"Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"},{"key":"bibr98-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/medethics-2013-101346"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr99-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"610","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.56.4.610","volume":"56","author":"Thompson HC","year":"1975","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"bibr100-0306312717707360","volume-title":"The Gold Standard: The Challenge of Evidence-Based Medicine and Standardization in Health Care","author":"Timmermans S","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr101-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0022146510386794"},{"key":"bibr102-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/3397564"},{"key":"bibr103-0306312717707360","unstructured":"UNAIDS (2008) Report on global HIV\/AIDS epidemic 2008. Available at: http:\/\/www.apf.pt\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/2015\/unaids_2008globalreport_en_1.pdf (accessed 8 August 2011)."},{"key":"bibr104-0306312717707360","unstructured":"UNAIDS (2010) Global report: UNAIDS report on global AIDS epidemic. Available at: http:\/\/www.unaids.org\/globalreport\/documents\/20101123_GlobalReport_full_en.pdf (accessed 2 July 2012)."},{"key":"bibr105-0306312717707360","unstructured":"UNAIDS (2013) Global report: UNAIDS report on global AIDS epidemic. Available at: http:\/\/www.unaids.org\/sites\/default\/files\/media_asset\/UNAIDS_Global_Report_2013_en_1.pdf (accessed 5 March 2015)."},{"key":"bibr106-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4081\/jphia.2011.e4"},{"key":"bibr107-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/146642400512500607"},{"key":"bibr108-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0306312714562103"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr109-0306312717707360","first-page":"455","volume":"72","author":"Waldeck S","year":"2003","journal-title":"University of Cincinnati Law Review"},{"key":"bibr110-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2015.1014827"},{"key":"bibr111-0306312717707360","unstructured":"WHO\/UNAIDS (2007a) Male circumcision: Global trends and determinants of prevalence, safety and acceptability. Available at: http:\/\/whqlibdoc.who.int\/publications\/2007\/9789241596169_eng.pdf (accessed 1 December 2010)."},{"key":"bibr112-0306312717707360","unstructured":"WHO\/UNAIDS (2007b) New data on male circumcision and HIV prevention: Policy and programme implications. Available at: http:\/\/data.unaids.org\/pub\/Report\/2007\/mc_recommendations_en.pdf (accessed 14 March 2009)."},{"key":"bibr113-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.9999999"},{"key":"bibr114-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9566.2011.01320.x"},{"key":"bibr115-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00002030-200003100-00020"},{"key":"bibr116-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD007496.pub2"},{"key":"bibr117-0306312717707360","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/01.olq.0000253335.41841.04"}],"container-title":["Social Studies of Science"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0306312717707360","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/0306312717707360","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0306312717707360","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T19:32:08Z","timestamp":1777663928000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0306312717707360"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,22]]},"references-count":117,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/0306312717707360"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0306312717707360","relation":{},"ISSN":["0306-3127","1460-3659"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0306-3127","type":"print"},{"value":"1460-3659","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,22]]}}}