The History of Public Health

Beginning in the 19th century, this course will trace the history of public health through various phases, periods characterized by changing social organization, disease patterns, and disease theories, populations of interest, professional training, cultural values and social expectations. Although primarily concerned with the social history of public health, the course will also refer to present public health issues. We will examine whether, and to what extent, they are heir to the public health past. A subsidiary question will be whether history, as a craft and methodology, can prove useful in elucidating those contemporary issues, and perhaps even influence public health policy.