Circuits of Information and the Spread of Disease

Circuits of Information and the Spread of Disease

With Jonathan Katz and Priscilla Wald

As the Ebola virus rages on in West Africa, the world is assessing the best way to address this epidemic. Discourse in the United States has revolved around many issues – including an air travel ban – which have caused an uproar in the public health sector. But what is really shaping the responses towards the Ebola epidemic? How does the media filter our understanding of what is happening in these crisis zones? English Professor Priscilla Wald contributes her expertise on cultural narratives of disease, and journalist Jonathan Katz shares his experiences writing about the cholera epidemic in Haiti. The panel addresses how the media can influence the population’s reaction and response to epidemics around the world.

Co-sponsored by the Haiti Lab, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Franklin Humanities Center, and the Forum for Scholars and Publics.