On the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 lockdowns, historian and cultural critic Dr Edna Bonhomme will explore how confined spaces have shaped the spread of disease throughout history in her groundbreaking work, A History of the World in Six Plagues.

Through meticulous research and masterful storytelling, A History of the World in Six Plagues examines how enclosed spaces - from plantation systems to colonial camps, prisons to quarantine zones - have historically fuelled epidemic spread.

Spanning centuries and continents, the book explores pivotal outbreaks from cholera to COVID-19, while uncovering the often-overlooked racial dynamics of disease control.

More than a remarkable history, A History of the World in Six Plagues is also a rising call for change, with important implications for healthcare and policy across the world. Drawing on extensive research across Ottoman Egypt and Tunisia to modern-day Berlin, Edna will illuminate how pandemics have disrupted trade, cultural practices, and social structures. Through historical mapping and rich archival sources, she will challenge us to reconsider how structures of power influence both the spread of disease and our response to it.

Join us for an evening that promises to transform your understanding of how space, society, and sickness intersect and what this means for our collective future.