Epidemics in America

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Where were you in March 2020? When did you first learn about the COVID-19 pandemic? How has the pandemic affected your life, your community, and your world? Although many of us think of the pandemic as a singular and unprecedented event, pandemics actually have a long history in America (and around the world) and have profoundly shaped the American experience. In this course, we will study epidemics in America from the precolonial period to the present, paying particular attention to their cultural as well as biological dimensions. As we will see, disease outbreaks have influenced government policy, economic and market relations, media, popular culture, religious beliefs, and ideas about race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and citizenship. Throughout the course, we will place these histories in conversation with the present, reflecting on how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our nation and our world. Assignments include analytical papers, personal reflections, class presentations, and collaborative projects.