Plagues, Pandemics, & Power

Catalog description

This course examines the social, cultural and demographic impact of major pandemic diseases and outbreaks including Plague, Cholera, Flu, Polio, Toxic Shock Syndrome and HIV/AIDS. We examine how social inequalities shape epidemics and their outcomes and how intersections of poverty, gender, sexual orientation, race and global inequalities contribute to the persistence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We consider six areas: 1) biological factors, 2) social epidemiology, 3) societal responses and social meanings, 4) patterns of blaming marginalized groups for creating and/or spreading epidemic disease, and 5) the role of social power and agency in public health/public policy responses. Restricted to Class of Junior, Senior.