Dr. Alexandre White

Biography

Alexandre White's work examines the social effects of infectious epidemic outbreaks in historical and contemporary settings. His research explores the global mechanisms that produce responses to outbreaks. His book project, 'Epidemic Colonialism: Social History of International Disease Response,' delves into the historical roots of international responses to epidemic threats. The book investigates how epidemic outbreaks become 'global threats' and how diseases become the focus for international regulations and organized responses. His work draws on archival data collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) archives in Geneva, Western Cape Archives in Cape Town, the British Library, British National Archives, and Wellcome Library Archives in London, along with twelve qualitative interviews with senior global health actors to analyze five cases of disease threats that have been prioritized internationally. Additionally, he examines the formation of international disease controls from the 19th century, focusing on the International Sanitary Conventions created to prevent the spread of diseases such as plague, cholera, and yellow fever. Finally, he analyzes the transformation of the International Health Regulations in 2005 and its effects on the assessment of disease threats. His published work in the field of History of Medicine highlights the differences in perceived threats posed by deadly diseases, which provoke varied responses during outbreaks.

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Experience

Awards