Getting Under Our Skin. The Cultural and Social History of Vermin , by Lisa T. Sarasohn

What is it about?

Vermin are stably present in the history of our species since our origin and, as a consequence, we evolved a fast response to them to avoid possible diseases. Actually, these cognitive modules also favoured in modern western societies the origin of negative attitudes towards the poor and prejudices toward out-groups since also humans may become vermin if we see them as threating us._x000D_ This scarcely studied role of vermin is deeply analysed in a historical perspective by the marvellous book entitled “Getting under our skin. The cultural and social history of vermin” recently published by the Lisa T. Sarasohn, professor emerita of history at the Oregon State University._x000D_

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