ANTH4002

This course examines the global human experience with health and disease through an
archaeological and historical perspective, from the early days of our species to the present. We
will survey major infectious and noncommunicable diseases that have affected human
societies, including tuberculosis, plague, influenza, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and leprosy. You will
learn how humans have responded and adapted to many of these conditions, and how disease
organisms have evolved in tandem. Course content examines large-scale disease and health
patterns over time with a special focus on global pandemics and major epidemiological
transitions such as those brought about by the introduction of agriculture, the Age of
Exploration, colonialism, and industrialization. You will become familiar with the methods and
approaches used by anthropologists and archaeologists to study disease in the past and how
these inferences influence understanding of present-day health. The course will end with a
discussion of emerging health challenges such as the rise of antibiotic resistance, novel zoonotic
diseases, and the prevalence of health disparities.

03155