Reading Review

Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
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Reading Review Writer’s argument and thesis
Structural violence refers to a type of disorder where social institutions or social structures are likely to harm individuals. Ideally, structural violence impedes people from attaining their basic needs. Paul Farmer deliberates the case for the strong effect of the social institutions and structures on the lives of those people living in Haiti (Farmer 281). In essence, the writers argue about the mental and physical suffering encountered by a person. As a result, Farmer told the story of two young people living in Haiti and emerged as victims of violence and social injustice in Haiti which eventually became the reason for their death.
Support for thesis
The writer supports the hypothesis on mental and physical suffering faced by a person through his narrative that comprises various aspects. Some of the issues discussed to support the thesis include ageism, heterosexism, nationalism, adultism, racism, classism, ethnocentrism, and institutionalized elitism. The aspects are exemplary forms of structural violence. The outcome of the highlighted examples is death, suffering, and poverty which appear to be the usual way of life among the Haitian people. Farmer demonstrates the way women were forced to sexual decisions because of poverty. He achieves this through narrating Acephie’s life that made her contract AIDS from Captain Honorat and eventually infected another man and her unborn child (Farmer 284).

Questions that remain for me
The author has aired the grievances of those suffering which is experienced by an individual. It is evident that pain is heightened through structural violence which exists everywhere. However, some factors hinder such people from logically reporting the distress. The questions that remained for me is whether or not the relevant authorities in Haiti such as the humanitarian personnel able to ascertain the forces that conspire to encourage suffering. I also question whether people can listen and express the pains and concerns of other individuals who are hopeless and helpless.

Works Cited
Farmer, Paul. On Suffering and Structural Violence: A View From Below. 2009, pp. 281-288.