The History of Masks with Bruno Strasser and Thomas Schlich

Bruno Strasser (University of Geneva) and Thomas Schlich (McGill University) come on the Infectious Historians podcast to discuss their recent book on the history of masks. As usual, the episode begins with definitions, then moves to discuss some of the commonly known kinds of masks in history – such as the plague doctor bird-like beaked mask, or the masks worn in the US during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. The conversation addresses not only the masks themselves, but also their cultural meanings, the stereotypes associated with them, as well as the public’s reluctance to wear them. At the end of the interview Bruno and Thomas reflect on writing such a book during Covid, and share some of their experiences in co-authoring their book.