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HI553M: PANDEMICS & PLAGUES: HISTORY’S DEADLIEST DISEASES (2024-2025)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 11:07


Course Overview

This course will consider a variety of epidemics throughout history and consider the ways in which states and individuals responded as well as the interplay between state and individual responses.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor William G Naphy

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Distance Learning
  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • HI503M Pandemics & Plagues: History's Deadliest Diseases (Passed)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

By examining the history of pandemics, plagues and pestilences, this course will consider how societies responded, and respond, to the deadliest epidemics in history.

This will be done through examining of key, inter-related themes:

  • The official/state responses to the threat and presence of an epidemic.
  • The ways in which individuals, families, and local communities respond to epidemics.
  • How personal responses and state responses are often at odds with each other.
  • How the state attempts to control social behaviour in an effort to limit the impact of epidemics.
  • The ways in which epidemics can radically alter society at all levels.

Heavy emphasis will be placed on key secondary texts in the historiographical debates and major bodies of primary source documentation on the subject to consider recurring themes and historical discontinuities in the response to epidemics.


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 60
Assessment Weeks 35 Feedback Weeks 37

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Feedback

Feedback will be provided online via MyAberdeen.

Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseTo analyse the recurring appearance of conspiracy theories and scapegoats in societal responses to pandemics/epidemics
ConceptualAnalyseTo assess the ways in which individuals and official bodies respond to the threat/presence of large-scale pandemics/epidemics (e.g., plagues)
ConceptualApplyTo engage in intellectual debate and constructive criticism through written assessments, interactive discussions, and private study relating to the topic
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which societies responded to pandemics/epidemics changed over time while relying on past responses
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which individual behaviour undermines official attempts to deal with pandemics/epidemics.
ConceptualEvaluateTo display a critical and comparative appreciation of key debates and controversies through interacting with primary and secondary sources related to the topic
ConceptualUnderstandTo examine the development of responses (both individual and official) to pandemics/epidemics both in the short and long-term
ReflectionCreateTo develop transferable skills through interactive learning and private study in an on-line environment

Review of Reviewers

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 10
Assessment Weeks 27 Feedback Weeks 29

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Feedback

750-word review of Reviewers. Review several reviews of key historiographical secondary works published in peer-reviewed academic journals.

Feedback will be provided online via MyAberdeen.

 

 

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyTo engage in intellectual debate and constructive criticism through written assessments, interactive discussions, and private study relating to the topic
ConceptualEvaluateTo display a critical and comparative appreciation of key debates and controversies through interacting with primary and secondary sources related to the topic
ReflectionCreateTo develop transferable skills through interactive learning and private study in an on-line environment

Comparative analysis

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 39 Feedback Weeks 41

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Feedback

1,500-word comparative analysis of the historiographical arguments and approaches in a selected pair of peer-reviewed academic articles.

Feedback will be provided online via MyAberdeen.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyTo engage in intellectual debate and constructive criticism through written assessments, interactive discussions, and private study relating to the topic
ConceptualEvaluateTo display a critical and comparative appreciation of key debates and controversies through interacting with primary and secondary sources related to the topic
ReflectionCreateTo develop transferable skills through interactive learning and private study in an on-line environment

Formative Assessment

Weekly participation in online Discussion Board Forum

Assessment Type Formative Weighting
Assessment Weeks 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,39 Feedback Weeks 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,39

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Feedback

Feedback will be provided online via MyAberdeen by course convenor participation in, and commenting on, Discussion Board Forum posts by students.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseTo analyse the recurring appearance of conspiracy theories and scapegoats in societal responses to pandemics/epidemics
ConceptualAnalyseTo assess the ways in which individuals and official bodies respond to the threat/presence of large-scale pandemics/epidemics (e.g., plagues)
ConceptualApplyTo engage in intellectual debate and constructive criticism through written assessments, interactive discussions, and private study relating to the topic
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which societies responded to pandemics/epidemics changed over time while relying on past responses
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which individual behaviour undermines official attempts to deal with pandemics/epidemics.
ConceptualEvaluateTo display a critical and comparative appreciation of key debates and controversies through interacting with primary and secondary sources related to the topic
ConceptualUnderstandTo examine the development of responses (both individual and official) to pandemics/epidemics both in the short and long-term
ReflectionCreateTo develop transferable skills through interactive learning and private study in an on-line environment

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseTo assess the ways in which individuals and official bodies respond to the threat/presence of large-scale pandemics/epidemics (e.g., plagues)
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which individual behaviour undermines official attempts to deal with pandemics/epidemics.
ConceptualUnderstandTo examine the development of responses (both individual and official) to pandemics/epidemics both in the short and long-term
ConceptualEvaluateTo evaluate the ways in which societies responded to pandemics/epidemics changed over time while relying on past responses
ConceptualAnalyseTo analyse the recurring appearance of conspiracy theories and scapegoats in societal responses to pandemics/epidemics
ConceptualApplyTo engage in intellectual debate and constructive criticism through written assessments, interactive discussions, and private study relating to the topic
ConceptualEvaluateTo display a critical and comparative appreciation of key debates and controversies through interacting with primary and secondary sources related to the topic
ReflectionCreateTo develop transferable skills through interactive learning and private study in an on-line environment

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