We are in the midst of an alarming pandemic unlike anything we have ever experienced. Covid-19 is a novel viral disease, spreads widely in the community, causes frightening symptoms and has mounted a continuously disturbing death toll now two years into its course. At its inception, government officials downplayed its significance while blaming foreign countries for its perpetration. We adhered resignedly to restrictive population measures, including our own remote learning experience, that deprived us of social interaction, cultural fulfillment, and intellectual vigor. Presently, these restrictions have eased but our behavior remains divided. Some complacent citizens mistrust scientists and perceive their recommendations to mask, socially distance and vaccinate as a breach of their personal liberties, whereas others anguish at the thought that they or their loved ones remain unnecessarily vulnerable. We are unsettled by the uncertainty of the pandemic's trajectory even though biomedicine has yielded effective vaccines and promising therapies in record times. We yearn for the pandemic to subside, if not end, but when could this occur, and after what cost to individuals, society, our economy and livelihood? Covid-19 is unprecedented in our lifetime.

In this course, we look to the past to find deep historical analogues for today's pandemic. Students will explore leprosy and Black Death in medieval times, syphilis from 1492 to today, 1918 Influenza, AIDS in contemporary society, and today's emerging epidemics, including multi-drug resistant microbes (e.g., "superbugs"), Zika, and Ebola in the DRC. Students will learn to recognize recurring themes that are applicable today—the trope of fear, blaming of the outsider, the growing confidence as well as skepticism in the capacity of scientific medical experts to handle epidemic threats, and the tensions that develop between public health recommendations and personal liberties. Studying past epidemics at key historic moments will provide students with insight into the social, economic and cultural impact of each disease. It will also give them perspective, consolation, and possibly direction as they live through Covid-19 today.

Course Requirements:

Readings will stress primary source materials and lectures will provide historical context to shed light on the readings and develop key themes. There will be a midterm and final exam, along with one independent research paper.

Intended Audience:

The intended audience will be undergraduates from freshman to seniors. Anyone interested in learning more about epidemic diseases, their impact on society, and how society responds to them will be interested in taking this course.

Class Format:

Lecture and discussion