HHUM 306Public Health in Medieval Society

This course explores the concept of public health in the Middle Ages to understand the diverse meanings and forms that this idea can take in different cultural contexts. Students will engage in critical readings of primary and secondary sources to learn about the care of bodies, management of disease and contagion, waste disposal, and food distribution in various medieval cities. This work will allow students to explore how notions of "health" and "disease" are cultural constructions that vary depending on the times and spaces in which they are used. Students will acquire humanities-based skills and theories to interrogate notions of health and well-being both historically and in today's societies.