MSU welcomes Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Alexandre White for talk on his award-winning book
By Dr. Carrie Jerrell | Mar 26, 2025
MURRAY, Ky. – app’s Medical and Health Humanities program is pleased to host Dr. Alexandre White, assistant professor of sociology and the history of medicine and associate director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), for a book talk on his monograph, “Epidemic Orientalism: Race, Capital and the Governance of Infectious Disease” (Stanford UP, 2023), followed by a question and answer session at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 in the Waterfield Library Gallery.
This event is free. All are welcome to attend.
White joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2019 after completing a Provost’s postdoctoral fellowship at JHU. He earned a bachelor’s degree in black studies from Amherst College, a master’s degree in sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a doctorate in sociology from Boston University.
His work examines the social effects of infectious epidemic outbreaks in both historical and contemporary settings as well as the global mechanisms that produce responses to outbreak. His book explores the historical roots of international responses to epidemic threats and examines how certain epidemic outbreaks become “global threats;” that is, diseases that become the focus of international regulations and organized responses while others do not. “Epidemic Orientalism” won the American Library Association’s 2024 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title.
Read White’s full biography and research interests at .
Read an introduction to “Epidemic Orientalism” or purchase a copy at .
This program is supported by the estate of Patricia Walters, the Department of English and Philosophy and the Sociology program. Contact Dr. Rebecca Rosen, rrosen1@murraystate.edu, with questions about the event.