The history of epidemics and the fight against them in the 20th century is the focus of an international conference organised by the Institute of History at the University of Oldenburg.
Epidemics make history: until the 19th century, plague, smallpox and cholera kept people in Europe just as much in suspense as typhus, tuberculosis or syphilis. But how has the history of epidemics developed since then? How have epidemics and infectious diseases characterised the 20th century? And what problems and opportunities arise for researchers when exploring epidemics as contemporary historical phenomena? The conference on 23 and 24 March will explore these questions. Its title: "Infected Europe: epidemics in the social and cultural history of the 20th century". Conference chair Dr Malte Thießen, Junior Professor of German and European History of the 20th Century, is expecting over 40 participants from six nations.
The evening lecture on Friday, 23 March at 8 p.m. (Haarentor campus, library hall) is open to the public. Prof. Dr Wolfgang U. Eckart from the Institute of History and Ethics of Medicine at Heidelberg University will be speaking on the topic of "Epidemics and politics in the 19th and 20th centuries. From cholera to NS epidemic research".
The aim of the conference is to outline the contours of a social and cultural history of epidemics in the 20th century and to explore them in greater depth in case studies and comparisons. In addition to two overview lectures, the speakers - recognised experts and young academics - will explore different thematic approaches to the conference topic in five panels. These will focus on epidemics as a history of emotions, media and science, from a comparative, relational or gender perspective. The conference is funded by the PRO*Niedersachsen programme and the Gerda Henkel Foundation.