FROM THE 1918 FLU TO COVID-19: a historical analysis in Europe and Latin America

This coming 1 December sees us organising a virtual Workshop under this project.We will be joined by María Isabel Porras Gallo, a PhD in Medicine and full professor of History of the Science at the Ciudad Real Faculty of Medicine at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, who will be giving a talk entitled "¿Qué deberíamos aprender de las pandemias de gripe de 1918-1919 y de Covid-19?".As members of the research team we will have an opportunity to announce the preliminary results of our respective areas of research, in brief communications that will enable a final discussion to open between researches and the audience. 

The session will be from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm and free and accessible to all.

The Workshop was a success!We are very satisfied with the ideas, questions and discussions we have been able to consider.We are especially grateful to Dr María Isabel Porras Gallo for her participation in the opening talk.It is a great pleasure for us that we could count on the presence of this major figure in the study on the 1918 Flu in Spain.

International Conference
“From the flu of 1918 to COVID-19: a historical analysis in Europe and Latin America”
, 14 and 15 July 2022 – University of Girona

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted approaches to epidemics of the past, especially the 1918-19 `flu epidemic, the biggest epidemic of the 20th century.This attention was also focused on historiography, highlighting the lack of work on that episode, above all in the field of cultural history and as a direct link between epidemic and policy.From an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective, we seek to analyse the impact of the 1918 flu, putting it in its historical context of the post-first world war period and the crisis of European liberalism.We are interested, in turn, in analysing potential comparisons between the events of 1918-1930 period and the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, looking for the possible links between the crisis of liberalism of the last century and the current crisis.

Institute of Historical Research Hall – Faculty of Arts at the University of Girona (Plaça Ferrater Móra, 1 - 17004 Girona).Face-to-face and online format.

Download the programme here:

• Programme - Catalan
• Programme - Spanish

Call for papers

We invite researchers (including doctoral and master’s-degree students) from various disciplines in the humanities to submit a proposed 20-minute paper, on one (though not exclusively) of these subjects:
- The 1918-19 flu epidemic: an analysis of the measures taken, responses and reactions in Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy) or Latin America.
- Memories of the 1918 flu.
- The 1918 flu and COVID-19: comparisons in the political and/or social terrain.
To submit a proposal, send a title, 500-word abstract and 100-word biography to proyectogripe1918bbva@gmail.com before 27 May 2022.
The papers will be given on the afternoon of 14 July at the University of Girona, preferably in face-to-face format, although online presentations are accepted.

Coordinated by: Pau Font Masdeu

Run by: Maximiliano Fuentes Codera

• Call - Spanish, Catalan, English

A round table is being held this coming 7 October, on “The 1918 Spanish flu revisited on the basis of the Covid-19 pandemic” with Maximiliano Fuentes, Pau Font, Francesc Montero and Joaquim Maria Puigvert taking part.

The event will take place in the Museu d'Història-Monestir de Sant Feliu de Guíxols at 7 pm.Admission is free and to everyone.