Social Psychology of the holocaust
Location: TSC 2.02
Time: Thursday Evenings - 5:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Attendance: Mandatory
Important: Normally, we will not use the full time, but the additional time is allotted for evenings where we will also watch a film.
Course Topic: We will apply the concepts of Social Psychology to the events of the Holocaust. The course will be content-heavy in terms of the amount of material to be covered and the emotional weight of the content.
Course Number: Psyc 4790
Term: Fall 2023
Syllabus: Sample Draft Syllabus
OFFICE HOURS
Office: LHS 132
Hours: Office Hours
Click Here to read comments from past students.
Preparing for this course over the summer
In Psyc 4790, we will apply the concepts of Social Psychology to the Holocaust. To prepare for the course, you may review the content you learned in Psyc 2700 - Introduction to Social Psychology.
The second area of knowledge useful to you in this course will be a basic understanding of the timeline and events of World War II and the Holocaust. You may wish to review some of the books and videos listed below.
Below are some resources you can use for reviewing foundational concepts in Social Psychology:
There is a free online Social Psychology Course through Coursera. The course is not “live” anymore, but all the material is still available, including the lectures, assignments, and exams.
A free online textbook for Social Psychology can be found here.
Required readings
You will access the required readings for this course through Perusall, where you will read, annotate, and discuss each assigned reading. If you would like early access to the classroom so that you can buy the books on Perusall during the summer and get a head start, please get in touch with me. Alternatively, you can purchase hard copies of the three books below; however, please note that you will still need to re-purchase the Perusall version of War & Genocide and Why: Explaining the Holocaust.
War & Genocide can be purchased on Perusall for $45.50. USD, or rented for 180 days for $32.63, or rented for 120 days for $15.23 USD.
Why? Explaining the Holocaust can be purchased on Perusall for $16.95 USD.
Recommended readings & viewings
Below is a selection of books and movies about World War II and the Holocaust. Some provide an overview of events, others focus on a specific individual's story, while others tackle larger thematic issues. It would take a lifetime to read everything written about WW2 and the Holocaust, and we only have one semester (plus the Summer if you get a head start). Pick and choose from what you find below, but try to pick at least one autobiography, one thematic/bigger issue piece, and one overview of events. Although the list is long, you will find that many of the books are "quick reads," - such as Night, which can be read in an hour or two. Many books are also available in Audio format through Audible or iTunes.
