Epidemic Belfast: Health Heritage, Public History and Inclusivity in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Since 2021, the Epidemic Belfast project has developed innovative ways of researching and communicating health history, with regional and international audiences. This article reviews the project’s development while offering insight into best practice for curating health history content that is inclusive, co-produced and challenging. It situates the Epidemic Belfast project in a regional context – Northern Ireland - often fixated with conflict, a scenario that often risks sidelining the health histories of people, communities and marginalized groups. The approaches to the Epidemic Belfast offer a compelling template for public history practitioners elsewhere.