Course Description

Examines how modern societies have confronted disaster. Such crises have been surprisingly common in recent history, and they take multiple forms: natural, technological, medical, industrial, and environmental. How a society responds to disaster tells us much about its values, politics, and culture; such moments can also act as catalysts for social and historical change. This course examines a range of disasters, including hurricane Katrina, the 1918 flu pandemic, nuclear accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima, and devastating earthquakes in both San Francisco and Haiti. Note: This course is part of the following field(s) of study: United States.