Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Plagues and their Power on Human Society
Instructor(s): Sylvia McDevitt, Biology
What determines the fate of human societies? Since the beginning, humans have had
to deal with diseases which developed alongside humankind. Some diseases seem to have
been around forever whereas others developed more recently. How did major outbreaks
of diseases shape the historical events of their time? From the six plagues of antiquity
we will move to the first recorded incident of biological warfare and the disease
causing the death of one third of the European population of the 14thcentury. Students will study disease-linked historical events including the impact
of present-day diseases like AIDS and TB. Students in this seminar will explore human
diseases and their influence on historical events and impact on society. Topics include
biological, medical, historical and social aspects of these diseases as well as their
influence on literature and art.
Course Offered
