Three years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world and left a deep imprint on society. But the wave of panic, competitive vaccine research, economic impact, and distrust in medical science have already occurred. In his new book Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines and the Health of Nations (2023) the internationally renowned historian Simon Schama shows how the world has survived similar pandemics before.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries’ smallpox struck London, cholera hit Paris and pestilence came to India. What can history teach us about good leadership in times of pandemic and viruses? How should we look back on the way we dealt with COVID-19? And how can societies prepare themselves for new viruses to come?
About Simon Schama
Simon Schama is one of the most famous historians worldwide, a renowned expert on European history, ecology and art history. He published numerous awarded history books such as Landscape and Memory (1995), Rembrandt’s Eyes (1999) and A History of Britain (2000). He also created famous television series such as The Power of Art, The Story of the Jews and most recently The History of Now (2022). With over 40 documentaries on his name, he keeps informing his audience about Europe’s vast history.
Forum on European Culture 2023
From 31 May until June 4, the 4th edition of the Forum on European Culture takes place. Artists, activists and intellectuals from all over the world come together to explore the meaning and future of democracy in Europe. For the full programme, see www.cultureforum.eu
More Forum on European Culture:
Sasha, a colonel in the Ukrainian army who died due to a heart failure, sees his widow Katia and his stepdaughter Oksana prepare his funeral feast.
Listen to The Persians, the first theatre play in European history. A 2500-year-old text by Aeschylus about an imperialistic king trying to crush Greek democracies. Performed by actors
How can the future of Europe be imagined? What are threats to European democracy, and what should we pay attention to? We asked five writers to envision a European future.
