How did historic epidemics shape production and consumption patterns, socioeconomic inequality and labour relations, both in the short and the long run? Did economic development, globalization and urbanization support a slow but steady conquest of infectious diseases, or was their role rather to expose societies to new risks? And what policy lessons can we learn from studying the economic impact of the bubonic plague, cholera, influenza and other scourges of humanity? This seminar introduces students to recent research on the economic history of epidemics, infectious disease and health, with an emphasis on quantitative, empirical evidence.
Requirements: No formal requirements. Interest in economic history and applied microeconomics is advantageous.
Grading: Grading is based on a term paper (15-20 pages), to be handed in approximately by the end of March 2022. Another component of the seminar is an ungraded presentation. Active participation in class is essential.
Max. 25 participants.
For a quick overview of some of the seminar’s topics, have a look at three recent surveys papers on the economic history of epidemics and infectious diseases:
Alfani, Guido and Tommy E. Murphy (2017): “Plague and Lethal Epidemics in the Pre-Industrial World”, The Journal of Economic History 77(1): 314-343, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022050717000092
Arthi, Vellore and John Parman (2021): “Disease, downturns, and wellbeing: Economic history and the long-run impacts of COVID-19”, Explorations in Economic History 79: 101381, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eeh.2020.101381
Beach Brian and Karen Clay and Martin H. Saavedra (2021): “The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and Its Lessons for COVID-19”, NBER Working Paper 27673, https://doi.org/10.3386/w27673