HS 320 - The Black Death in Global Perspective

(3.00 cr.)

"In the year 1348, one that I deplore, we were deprived not only of our friends, but of peoples throughout the world." So wrote the poet and scholar Petrarch in a famous letter regarding one of the most infamous pandemics in history, the Black Death. Although the Black Death has certainly loomed large in the history of Medieval Europe, recent scholars in multiple fields have challenged traditional narratives by putting the Black Death into a global context. This course examines the Black Death from a global and multi-disciplinary perspective. What can paleo-biology tell us about the spread of plague across Eurasia and Africa? How have archaeologists tried to assess the impact of plague in Sub-Saharan Africa? How have Chinese texts forced historians to readdress the timing of the Black Death? How did Middle Eastern societies deal with plague both legally and theologically? Did the Black Death drastically alter the course of European history? The course addresses these questions and more in pursuit of understanding the Black Death as a true pandemic.

Prerequisite: One HS 100-level course.
Sessions Typically Offered: Varies
Years Typically Offered: Varies

Interdisciplinary Studies: GT/IM