HIST 145NThe Holocaust and Human Rights

3 credits · History · Penn State

This inter-domain course integrates historical (GH) study of the Holocaust with sociological (GS) perspectives on the Holocaust and human rights. Topical content begins with historical antisemitism ("the longest hatred") and elaborates the history of the Holocaust in German and in Europe. A second half of the course explores consequent definitions of genocide and human rights, globally established by the United Nations through international law. Post-war campaigns to reduce prejudice and to raise 'Holocaust consciousness' are presented along with sociological insights into problems of persecution through eugenics, xenophobia, and racialized inequalities. Survivor testimonies underscore the value of resilience and the ethics of standing up against injustice, including discrimination or persecution based on cultural or another group identification.