HISTORY 3112 - Plague!

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

Human Rights, Medieval Studies, STS The cry "Plague!" has struck fear among peoplearound the world, from antiquity to the present. What is plague? How has it changed history? Starting with Camus' metaphorical evocation of plague in a modern North African city, this Upper College seminar examines the historical impact of plague on society. It focuses on bubonic plague, which was epidemic throughout the Mediterranean and European worlds for 400 years, and which remains a risk in many parts of the world (including the southwestern United States) to this day. Some topics explored are a natural history of plague; impact of plague on mortality and socioeconomic structures; effects on art and literature; early epidemiology and public health; explanations and cures; the contemporary presence of bubonic plague; and fears about "new plagues." Readings include literaryworks by Boccaccio, Camus, Defoe, andManzoni; historical and philosophical analyses by Lucretius and Thucydides; and contemporary literature on history, biology, and public health.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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