Mosquitoes, malaria and health segregation in Freetown Sierra Leone
Exploring the colonial history of malaria control, through the story of Ronald Ross’s 1899 report into mosquito transmission and safety in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
This event combines film and historical discussion by filmmaker Edward Lawrenson and architect Killian O' Dochartaigh. They will talk about the research they undertook in Sierra Leone and the UK on the legacy of ‘health segregation’ in Freetown. Their focus is on Hill Station, a ‘European-only’ enclave of elevated prefabricated bungalows built on the remote heights of the city away from its congested historic centre.The construction of Hill Station was a recommendation in an 1899 report by Dr Ronald Ross (commissioned by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) on the link between the mosquito and malaria transmission. The key audience is students and staff with an interest in the history of malaria, of tropical medicine, and the history of LSHTM, where Ross’s archive is held.
In this ‘work-in-progress’ talk, Lawrenson and O' Dochartaigh will show material they have filmed so far for their installation, ‘Salone Drift’. This is due for exhibition in June 2025 and combines moving-image and model work that will creatively communicate their findings. They will describe the progress of the project, and discuss what it shows about the links between medical research, architecture and colonialization.
Speakers
- Edward Lawrenson, Film maker/Lecturer, UCL Anthropology
- Dr Killian O' Dochartaigh, Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA)
Event notices
- Please note that the recording link will be listed on this page when available.
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