Q&A: History professor discusses misinformation and conspiracy theories related to public health
Jonathan Ablard, professor in the Department of History and Latin American Studies coordinator at Ithaca College, speaks about misinformation and public health. Photo by Aminatta Imrana Jallow
The Ithacan
Jonathan Ablard, professor in the Department of History and Latin American Studies coordinator at Ithaca College, gave his keynote presentation titled “Conspiracy Theories and Rumors in the History of Public Health” at the Social History of Health and Illness in Argentina and the Americas workshop via Zoom.
Ablard’s presentation detailed how historical events should be used to better understand the relationship between the information crisis and public health. Ablard has been working on projects with Argentine colleagues since the 1990s and published his first book in 2008 titled “Madness in Buenos Aires: Patients, Psychiatrists, and the Argentine State, 1880–1983.”
Through his work, Ablard hopes to incorporate more Latin American and Caribbean history into world history courses. Ablard’s research on the intersection of the information crisis and public health is prominent in the courses he is currently teaching at the college as well.
Staff writer Liam McDermott spoke with Ablard about his research, how he became interested in conspiracy theories related to public health and ways to combat misinformation.
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