Coronavirus, Public Health Watch Now: Plagues Past and Present - Pandemics in Historical Perspective

History may not repeat itself, but sometimes the past can shed surprising light on the present. From the Black Death to AIDS and COVID-19, human societies have struggled to confront deadly epidemics. How have we reacted to these outbreaks in the past, and what can past outbreaks teach us about our current crisis?

In this virtual edition of The World Today, as David S. Barnes, Associate Professor of the History and Sociology of Science, discussed these and more questions from the history of epidemics in conversation with Michael C. Horowitz, Perry World House Interim Director and Professor of Political Science.