Plagues upon the Earth: The Natural History of Human Germs | Kyle Harper

Описание: The COVID-19 pandemic (not to mention the threat of monkeypox) has given us an unfortunate reminder of the destabilizing potential of emerging infectious diseases. Plague and pestilence have been a part of the human past from the beginning to present, and this talk will explore what we know, don’t know, are learning, and might learn about the deep past of humanity’s germs. The history of infectious disease is the intertwined tale of human progress and microbial ecology.

Kyle Harper is the G.T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty, Professor of Classics and Letters, Senior Advisor to the President, and Provost Emeritus at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma. Harper has held fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and Dumbarton Oaks.

An economic and environmental historian who specialises in the ancient world, Harper is the author of four books. His first book, Slavery in the Late Roman World, was published in 2011 and awarded the James Henry Breasted Prize. His second book, From Shame to Sin: The Christian Transformation of Sexual Morality, appeared in 2013 and received the Award for Excellence in Historical Studies from the American Academy of Religion. His third book, The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire, was first published in 2017 and subsequently translated into 12 languages. Harper’s fourth book, Plagues upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History, is a global history of infectious disease spanning from human origins to COVID-19. It draws from a range of disciplines, including the natural sciences, to tell the story of humanity’s long and distinctive struggle with pathogenic microbes. It was the 2021 PROSE winner for best book in the history of science, technology, and medicine.

Harper’s work as a scholar tries to integrate the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to deepen our understanding of human expansion as a planetary force. His next project is a history of animals, highlighting the intricate ways that humanity’s success depends upon other animals and shapes biodiversity on Earth.
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