Dr. Asha Persson

Biography

Asha Persson is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Health at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She awarded her PhD in social anthropology from Sydney University in 2001. With over 20 years of experience, Asha has conducted a variety of qualitative projects focused on the cultural and lived aspects of HIV, specifically targeting previously hidden and under-researched populations affected by the epidemic in Australia. Her research highlights the experiences and needs of diverse groups, including heterosexuals, children growing up with HIV, straight-identified men who have sex with men, couples of mixed HIV status, and families living with blood-borne viruses. Asha's work has contributed significant scholarly knowledge regarding the interplay between illness, medicine, gender, and sexuality in society. She has published extensively in high-profile international journals across health sociology, medical anthropology, cultural studies, and HIV/AIDS. Asha welcomes supervision of postgraduate projects that examine intersections of HIV, gender, sexuality, embodiment, and cultural practices, particularly in the fields of social medical anthropology and ethnography.

Research Interests

Experience