UCSB Hist 33D, Fall 2002 [see also Fall 2003 syllabus!]
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Holocaust
HSSB 1174, T-Th 11:00-12:15; Chem 1171, W 5-7:50
http://marcuse.faculty.history.ucsb.edu/classes/33d

Prof. Marcuse
HSSB 4221, 893-2635
marcuse@history.ucsb.edu
Office hours: Tues. 1-2, Wed. 1-2

This course is designed for undergraduates of all disciplines (natural and social sciences, fine arts, humanities) with no prior college-level coursework in history. It has two goals: to introduce students to the history of one of the most significant events of the 20^th century, and to explore some of the different ways scholars, writers and artists attempt to explain it.

I understand the Nazi Holocaust to be the development and systematic implementation of a program to eradicate entire groups of people. This course begins with an investigation of the "historical facts," but quickly moves to questions of causation (why did they happen?). We will examine attempts to answer this question by scholars in various disciplines, comparing, assessing, and combining different perspectives to come up with one of our own.

1. Attendance at all classes, including at least 5 of the evening films and guest presentations, and the Oct. 20 field trip. Why take a course if you don't take the time to learn what it teaches? Lectures include slides, videos, discussion and information not available elsewhere. I will call roll to try to learn your names.
2. Five questions in lieu of a midterm examination. You will write a short paragraph on a simple question about the assigned readings, speakers or films, roughly once every two weeks. These will be announced one lecture in advance.
3. Access to the internet. Some of the course materials are available only on-line on the course web site. You can get priority access stickers for the microcomputer labs.
4. A journal with 1-2 entries per week, for a total of 10 entries. Each entry, averaging 400 words, will be based on your thoughts about newspaper or magazine articles that you relate to the course, or about the lectures, course readings or outside events. (For further details, see the blue "Hist 33D Journal" handout.)
5. A two-hour final examination will have 3 IDs chosen from 5, one source interpretation, and one essay question from a choice of two. A study guide will be distributed in early December.
   An oral final may be an option.
6. Instead of the final exam essay question, you may opt to do a final project. Topics and form will be chosen in consultation with the professor. Work may be done collaboratively.

• Reflections: Art Spiegelman, Maus: A Survivor's Tale, vols. I and II (1986, 1991)
handout
• Textbook: Ronnie Landau, The Nazi Holocaust (1994)
• Reflections: Gerald Markle, Meditations of a Holocaust Traveler (1995)
• Memoir: Ruth Klüger, Still Alive: A Holocaust Girlhood Remembered (2002)
• Reader: packet of several photocopied articles, available later in the term

is on a point system. You can accumulate up to 100 points, distributed as follows:
participation: 10%; questions: 20%; journal: 30%; final exam: 40% (15+10+15); final project 15%.
Late work will be graded down one point per day. Call or e-mail me in advance if you must be absent.