Pandemics, Plagues and Viruses

The theme chosen for the 2006–2007 academic year is as old as the locusts of ancient Egypt and as new as the H5N1 strain of avian flu.  It reminds us of the Black Death, the Spanish flu of 1918, and of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa today.  It suggests infection as a model for understanding such diverse phenomena as the politics of toleration and the distribution of computer malware.

This theme builds on the interest in HIV/AIDS that galvanized our campus in 2005–2006 due to the work of Augustana Against AIDS, a student-led initiative that culminated in a visit by Stephen Lewis and the raising of more than $30,000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

The theme also responds to the ongoing media focus on avian flu, West Nile fever, HIV/AIDS and other diseases that threaten our communities.

Is a global pandemic a real possibility, especially in the health-conscious developed world?  What can the study of ancient plagues, previous pandemics, and evolving viruses tell us about the risks of a pandemic today?

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