Epidemic Disease, Famine and Development
EDFD
CH2222
Summary
Tamar Seele
689952
, Week 1: epidemics, famines, development…
The great disruptors: a historical lens on epidemics and famines
History is not just a collection of dates; it is a “historical laboratory”. When we look at
epidemics and famines, we aren’t just looking at biological or agricultural failures – we are
looking at the engines of change. Historians often argue that epidemics “do stuff”. They act
as catalysts that can end empires, shift political fortunes, and fundamentally reorder the
economy.
The stakes of survival
One of the most profound impacts of a pandemic is its ability to mess with the status quo. By
altering the availability of labor, land, and income, these events can trigger a “redistribution”
of wealth. It is precisely this potential for a shift in the balance between rich and poor that has
historically made the wealthy fear pandemics. We must ask: are these changes structural and
permanent, or merely temporary? And perhaps most interestingly, why do some societies
show a “lack of change” even when faced with substantial mortality?
The power of narrative
Beyond the physical toll, epidemics shape our collective psyche through what is known as the
“Boccaccian narrative”. This is a cycle of fear, flight, abandonment, and moral decay. How
we talk about disease matter. Over time, we have developed “stock characters” in our disease
stories:
- The villain: often a “patient zero” or a “typhoid Mary” – frequently a poor migrant or
a marginalized person blamed for bringing the disease “to us”.
- The hero: usually a doctor with expertise who goes beyond the call of duty.
These narratives are rarely neutral; they are built upon existing prejudices. We often frame
diseases as originating in “underdeveloped” lands and moving toward the “developed” world,
a moralizing perspective that asks, “is it heading our way?”.
Lessons and comparisons
The course uses the past to better understand the present, but it warns against simple
comparisons. While we can learn from the 1918-1920 Great Influenza, we must be careful
when linking it to COVID-19. Misinformation and poor choices of comparison can limit the
value of historical knowledge.
Furthermore, we must critically assess our modern categorizations. For example, the way we
measure and define famine in contemporary contexts, such as Gaza, may differ significantly
from how historians classify famine or genocide. Even the relationship between epidemic and
famine is intertwined; a pandemic can increase a population’s “sensibility” to famine, as seen
during the Black Death in the 14th century when household food budgets skyrocketed.
Looking ahead: the final exam
The journey concludes with a written exam (65%) on January 28th. This will be a closed-book
test focused on your ability to apply abstract concepts to concrete historical cases. You can
2
EDFD
CH2222
Summary
Tamar Seele
689952
, Week 1: epidemics, famines, development…
The great disruptors: a historical lens on epidemics and famines
History is not just a collection of dates; it is a “historical laboratory”. When we look at
epidemics and famines, we aren’t just looking at biological or agricultural failures – we are
looking at the engines of change. Historians often argue that epidemics “do stuff”. They act
as catalysts that can end empires, shift political fortunes, and fundamentally reorder the
economy.
The stakes of survival
One of the most profound impacts of a pandemic is its ability to mess with the status quo. By
altering the availability of labor, land, and income, these events can trigger a “redistribution”
of wealth. It is precisely this potential for a shift in the balance between rich and poor that has
historically made the wealthy fear pandemics. We must ask: are these changes structural and
permanent, or merely temporary? And perhaps most interestingly, why do some societies
show a “lack of change” even when faced with substantial mortality?
The power of narrative
Beyond the physical toll, epidemics shape our collective psyche through what is known as the
“Boccaccian narrative”. This is a cycle of fear, flight, abandonment, and moral decay. How
we talk about disease matter. Over time, we have developed “stock characters” in our disease
stories:
- The villain: often a “patient zero” or a “typhoid Mary” – frequently a poor migrant or
a marginalized person blamed for bringing the disease “to us”.
- The hero: usually a doctor with expertise who goes beyond the call of duty.
These narratives are rarely neutral; they are built upon existing prejudices. We often frame
diseases as originating in “underdeveloped” lands and moving toward the “developed” world,
a moralizing perspective that asks, “is it heading our way?”.
Lessons and comparisons
The course uses the past to better understand the present, but it warns against simple
comparisons. While we can learn from the 1918-1920 Great Influenza, we must be careful
when linking it to COVID-19. Misinformation and poor choices of comparison can limit the
value of historical knowledge.
Furthermore, we must critically assess our modern categorizations. For example, the way we
measure and define famine in contemporary contexts, such as Gaza, may differ significantly
from how historians classify famine or genocide. Even the relationship between epidemic and
famine is intertwined; a pandemic can increase a population’s “sensibility” to famine, as seen
during the Black Death in the 14th century when household food budgets skyrocketed.
Looking ahead: the final exam
The journey concludes with a written exam (65%) on January 28th. This will be a closed-book
test focused on your ability to apply abstract concepts to concrete historical cases. You can
2
