Plagues and Epidemics: Infected Spaces Past and Present (Wenner-Gren International Symposium Series)

Until recently, plagues were thought to belong in the ancient past. Now there are deep worries about global pandemics. This book presents views from anthropology about this much publicized and complex problem. The authors take us to places where epidemics are erupting, waning, or gone, and to other places where they have not yet arrived, but where a frightening story line is already in place. They explore public health bureaucracies and political arenas where the power lies to make decisions about what is, and is not, an epidemic. They look back into global history to uncover disease trends and look ahead to a future of expanding plagues within the context of climate change. The chapters are written from a range of perspectives, from the science of modeling epidemics to the social science of understanding them. Patterns emerge when people are engulfed by diseases labeled as epidemics but which have the hallmarks of plague. There are cycles of shame and blame, stigma, isolation of the sick, fear of contagion, and end-of-the-world scenarios. Plague, it would seem, is still among us. Plagues and epidemics in anthropological perspective -- D. Ann Herring and Alan C. Swedlung Ecosyndemics : global warming and the coming plagues of the twenty-first century -- Merrill Singer Pressing plagues : on the mediated communicability of virtual epidemics -- Charles L. Briggs On creating epidemics, plagues and other wartime alarums and excursions : enumerating versus estimating civilian mortality in Iraq -- James Trostle Avian influenza and the third epidemiological transition -- Ron Barrett Deconstructing an epidemic : cholera in Gibraltar -- Lawrence A. Sawchuk The end of plague : TB in New Zealand -- Judith Littleton, Julie Park and Linda Bryder / Epidemics and time : influenza and tuberculosis during and after the 1918-19 pandemic -- Andrew Noymer Everyday mortality in the time of plague : ordinary people under extraordinary circumstances in Massachusetts before and during the 1918 flu epidemic -- -- Alan C. Swedlund The coming plague of avian influenza -- D. Ann Herring and Stacy Lockerbie Past into present : history and the making of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and Aboriginal people -- Mary-Ellen Kelm Accounting for epidemics : mathematical modeling and anthropology -- Steven M. Goodreau Social inequalities and dengue transmission in Latin America -- Arachu Castro, Yasmin Khawja, James Johnston From plague, an epidemic comes : recounting disease as contamination and configuration -- Warwick Anderson Making plagues visible : yellow fever, hookworm, Chagas Disease, 1900-1950 -- Ilana Löwy Malaria eradication's metaphors in cold war Mexico -- Marcos Cueto 'Steady with custom' : mediating HIV prevention in the Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea -- Katherine Lepani Explaining kuru : three ways to think about an epidemic -- Shirley Lindenbaum . Machine generated contents note: Charles L. Briggs 4.On creating epidemics, plagues and other wartime alarums and excursions: enumerating versus estimating civilian mortality in Iraq James Trostle 5.Avian influenza and the third epidemiological transition Ron Barrett 6.Deconstructing an epidemic: Cholera in Gibraltar Lawrence A. Sawchuk 7.The end of plague? TB in New Zealand Judith Littleton, Julie Park and Linda Bryder 8.Epidemics and time: Influenza and tuberculosis during and after the 1918-19 pandemic Andrew Noymer 9.Everyday mortality in the time of plague: Ordinary people under extraordinary circumstances in Massachusetts before and during the 1918 flu epidemic Alan C. Swedlund 10.The coming plague of avian influenza D. Ann Herring and Stacy Lockerbie 11.Past into present: History and the making of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and Aboriginal people Mary-Ellen Kelm 12.Accounting for epidemics: Mathematical modeling and anthropology Steven M. Goodreau 13.Social inequalities and dengue transmission in Latin America Arachu Castro, Yasmin Khawja, James Johnston 14.From plague, an epidemic comes: Recounting disease as contamination and configuration Warwick Anderson 15.Making plagues visible: Yellow fever, hookworm, Chagas Disease, 1900-1950 Ilana Löwy 16.Malaria eradication's metaphors in cold war Mexico Marcos Cueto 17.'Steady with custom': Mediating HIV prevention in the Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea Katherine Lepani 18.Explaining kuru: three ways to think about an epidemic Shirley Lindenbaum . "Until recently, plagues were thought to belong in the ancient past. Now there are deep worries about global pandemics. This book presents views from anthropology about this much publicized and complex problem. The authors take us to places where epidemics are erupting, waning, or gone and to other places where they have not yet arrived, but where a frightening story-line is already in place. They explore public health bureaucracies and political arenas where the power lies to make decisions about what is, and is not, an epidemic. They look back into global history to uncover disease trends and look ahead to a future of expanding plagues within the context of climate change. The chapters are written from a range of perspectives, from the science of modelling epidemics to the social science of understanding them. Patterns emerge when people are engulfed by diseases labeled as epidemics but which have the hallmarks of plague. There are cycles of shame and blame, stigma, isolation of the sick, fear of contagion, and end-of-the-world scenarios. Plague, it would seem, is still among us"-- Provided by publisher

Until recently, plagues were thought to belong in the ancient past. Now there are deep worries about global pandemics. This book presents views from anthropology about this much publicized and complex problem.

The authors take us to places where epidemics are erupting, waning, or gone, and to other places where they have not yet arrived, but where a frightening story line is already in place. They explore public health bureaucracies and political arenas where the power lies to make decisions about what is, and is not, an epidemic. They look back into global history to uncover disease trends and look ahead to a future of expanding plagues within the context of climate change.

The chapters are written from a range of perspectives, from the science of modeling epidemics to the social science of understanding them. Patterns emerge when people are engulfed by diseases labeled as epidemics but which have the hallmarks of plague. There are cycles of shame and blame, stigma, isolation of the sick, fear of contagion, and end-of-the-world scenarios. Plague, it would seem, is still among us.

The chapters are written from a range of perspectives, from the science of modeling epidemics to the social science of understanding them. Patterns emerge when people are engulfed by diseases labeled as epidemics but which have the hallmarks of plague. There are cycles of shame and blame, stigma, isolation of the sick, fear of contagion, and end-of-the-world scenarios. Plague, it would seem, is still among us. --Book Jacket