Acknowledgements 1. Following the Science, Following the Script 2. The Rage of Numbers: Cholera 3. Metamorphosis: Influenza 4. Who, Whom: HIV/AIDS 5. Imagined Unknowns: Pandemic X 6. Emancipatory Catastrophe? Covid-19 Notes Bibliography

"In its scope, learning, and wisdom, New Pandemics, Old Politics is nothing less than stunning. As we try to understand Covid-19 and prepare for pandemics yet to come, this deeply learned and compassionate book will remain indispensable."Sulmaan Khan, Tufts University"Alex de Waal brilliantly exposes a disordered and disrupted world “de-prepared” for pandemics and pleads for change. New Pandemics, Old Politics makes an urgent call to abandon the failed “war on disease” script, appealing for a new “emancipatory public health”."Heidi J Larson, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine"Packed with relevant historical insights and challenging ideas, this book is certainly a help in understanding how such pandemics arise and what needs to be done if we are to prevent such outbreaks in the future."Morning Star"An extremely comprehensive, fascinating political history of previous epidemics, their metaphors and manifestations, and as such, a highly thought-provoking read in our current times."LSE Review of Books