HSOC-203: Plagues and Civilization

Over the course of the last 4,000 years, civilizations have risen and fallen because of disease. From the biblical plagues to the black death, from leprosy to AIDS, our diseases have defined us. Sometimes plagues have been anticipated, and sometimes they have swept down upon us unannounced and unexpected. Sometimes the result is personal suffering, and sometimes it is a total collapse of civilization. This class is an exploration of how societal practices create (and eliminate) diseases. We will start with the plague of Athens, which helped to destroy the Greek empire, and follow different diseases across both geography and time. In many cases, causes can be found for both the appearance and the disappearance of disease. This information will be of great value to any one who designs or plans for the urban environment.