Vaccines: History, Science, Society

In this seminar we will examine vaccines and vaccination programs from the perspective of anthropology. First, we will delve into the history of vaccination, from practices in Asia and Africa dating back to the 10th century, to Cotton Mather’s experiments with smallpox inoculation in Colonial Boston, to the development of modern vaccines. Next, we’ll look at global attempts to control diseases using vaccines, from the successful Smallpox Eradication Program to current projects targeting polio and measles. We will use this material to examine the science, politics, and culture of vaccination programs, and to investigate why some people refuse vaccination. 3 hrs. sem.