| Lerninhalte |
Viruses and diseases that spread rapidly and widely have always been a s part of human history, as evidenced by the bubonic plague, the 'Spanish' flu, Ebola, and the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Viruses are not only medical but also cultural phenomena and historical agents. As viruses defy national, material, bodily and other real and conceptual borders, they challenge many of the ways in which we understand the world around us and our position in it. Viruses destabilise our worldviews, institutions and power structures.
Throughout the seminar, we will explore how viral outbreaks have shaped the history and development of human life and human cultures and how we have come to think about the presence and absence of (invisible) viruses. We will look at representations and negotiations of viruses and virus pandemics in different cultural artefacts from different historical contexts, including 19th century visualisations of viruses, last man narratives, pandemic and zombie films, among others. |
