The (Geo)Politics of Infectious Disease GEOG4139

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2 (Alternate Years)
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course introduces students to the complicated and continually unfolding relationship between disease and geopolitics by drawing on historical examples that continue to shape our imagining of disease, as well as policy and everyday practice, and current examples that prompt new concerns and ways of managing disease. In the process we discuss how infection, contagion, containment and treatment have been differently understood over time and space, and how these understandings have intersected with concerns around health, security, sovereignty and ethics.

Timetable

2 hours of timetabled lectures (on-campus) per week over 10 weeks.

Requirements of Entry

Students should have completed Level 2 Geography at minimum of grade C3

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

1. Seen Examination (50%)

2. Coursework Essay (50%)

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

This course aims to

■ introduce the nature of infectious disease emergence and how this has been understood in historical and contemporary settings;

■ introduce the (geo)political dimensions of infectious diseases;

■ explore attempts to contain and manage the threats of disease outbreak.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Discuss different geographies of infectious disease;

■ Evaluate historical practices of containment of infectious disease threat;

■ Explain the international politics of infectious diseases;

■ Critically assess the links between infectious disease, health, sovereignty, security, and ethics.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.