The Holocaust and Human Behavior

This course will focus on World War II and the Holocaust. We will ask why so many ordinary Germans participated in this atrocity, and why so many more were passive bystanders. Is this phenomenon uniquely German, or is it something inherent to the human condition? How does modern Germany confront its past? And how can we avoid future genocides?

Students should purchase Maus II by Art Spiegelman, Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation by Ari Folman and David Polonsky, and, optionally, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Additional readings and movies will be provided through Facing History and Ourselves and other sources.

Prerequisites: Labor, Inequality, and the Industrial Revolution, or by permission.

Instructor: Laura Fokkena 

Details:

Suggested age range: High school. Some of the films have very serious themes; students should be mature enough to watch and discuss these issues. German films also take a liberal attitude towards sexuality; many contain brief nudity (both male and female). These scenes are contextually appropriate and not the focus of the story, but students who will be distracted or upset by such depictions may have a hard time engaging with the course.

Outside work: Watch one movie per week + readings.

When & where: Fridays on Zoom from 12:30-1:30 Eastern Time, Jan. 9 - Mar. 27, 2026.

Fee: Fee: $300 ungraded/$350 graded; this includes a non-refundable registration fee of $10. Students must purchase or borrow their own copies of Maus and Anne Frank. There may also be some movies or documentaries to rent for a small fee (usually $2-3). Payment plans available. Fees waived for families with financial need. (Waivers and payment plan information.) Questions about how classes work? Read our course FAQ.

Photo credit: Laura Fokkena