HST 294 Covid-19 and Beyond: Pandemic Famine Asia

3.0 Credit(s) HP CS

Using COVID-19 as a leading case study, this course reviews major pandemics and famines in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It examines human behaviors and social institutions in times of crises of both past and present. It highlights how East Asians respond to outbreaks of pandemics and famines as well as how their societies transform as a result. The course will lead students into strong evidence-based understandings of the origins, developments, and consequences of pandemics and famines to establish clear patterns of change and continuity in human crisis behaviors and social institutional management of the crises. Using critical thinking as a tool in examining primary and secondary sources, students will become systematically familiar with important evidence and prevailing theories so that they can formulate well-organized and well-supported interpretations of their own. By participating in class discussions and completing writing assignments, students will receive the necessary training to present their viewpoints in coherent and convincing manners. Three lecture hours per week.