John Henderson is a historian specializing in Renaissance Italy, particularly Florence. His research focuses on the history of medicine, public health, charity, and religious confraternities. He has made significant contributions to understanding the intersection of social, cultural, and religious practices with the development of medical knowledge and healthcare institutions in early modern Europe.
Henderson is perhaps best known for his work on plague epidemics and their impact on Renaissance society. He has explored how Florentine communities responded to outbreaks of disease, examining the roles of government, religious organizations, and individual citizens in implementing preventative measures and providing care for the sick.
His publications include monographs and edited volumes exploring themes such as: the role of lay religious confraternities in providing social welfare; the development of hospitals and healthcare systems; the interplay between magic, religion, and medicine; and the social and cultural construction of disease. He has held positions at various universities and research institutions, contributing to the training of new generations of scholars in early modern European history. His research is characterized by its meticulous use of archival sources and its nuanced understanding of the complex social and cultural context of Renaissance Italy.