History of Genocide
CAS HI 384 (4 Credits)
TR 2-3:15 PM
History and comparative analysis of genocidal mass murder with focus on the twentieth century. Hereros, Armenians, holomodor, Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur. Attention to political leaders, state ideology, dehumanization of victim groups, geopolitical competition, war, empire building and decline.
Instructor: Professor Simon Payaslian
The Holocaust
CAS JS 260 (4 Credits) Mts w/ CAS RN 384
TR 3:30-4:45 PM
Rise of German (and European) antisemitism; rise of Nazism; 1935 Nuremberg Laws; the initial Jewish reaction; racial theory; organizing mass murder including ghettos, concentration camps, killing squads, and gas chambers; bystanders and collaborators (countries, organizations, and individuals); Jewish resistance; post-Holocaust religious responses; moral and ethical issues. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
Instructor: Professor Steven T. Katz
The Nazis
CAS HI 271 (4 Credits)
A1: TR 11:00-12:15 PM, B1: M 9:05 am-9:55 am, C1: W 11:15 am-12:05 pm. D1: T 3:35 pm-4:25 pm
Explores the rise and fall of Europe’s most notorious mass movement through film, diaries, party documents, and other sources. Considers the impact of Nazi rule on art, finance, politics, and family life. Analyzes the mass murder and destruction caused by Nazi rule. BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
Instructor: Professor Jonathan Zatlin
Representations of the Holocaust in Literature and Film
CAS JS 261 (4 Credits) Mts w/ CAS XL 281, RN 685, COM CI 269, STH TX 899
TR 11-12:15 PM
How can we understand the impact of the Holocaust and its ongoing legacies? Holocaust representation in literature, film and memorials, including discussions of bystander complicity and societal responsibilities, testimonial and fictive works by Wiesel and Levi, documentaries and feature films. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
Instructor: Professor Nancy Harrowitz
The Holocaust Through Film
CAS JS 367 (4 Credits) Mts w/ CAS XL 387
A1: TR 11-12:15 PM, B1: TR: 2:00-3:15 PM
Prereq: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120)
An examination of film using the Holocaust as its central topic. What are the political and cultural effects when genocide is represented through film? Can feature films portray history, and if so, what are the consequences for an informed society? Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
Instructor: Professor Matthew Creighton
Political Violence
CAS PO 334 (4 Credits)
TR: 9:30 am-10:45 am
Explores the concept of political violence and the dynamics of violent political behavior. Critically examines the causes and consequences of political violence around the world. Topics include civil war, government repression and disciplining, electoral violence, riots and demonstrations, vigilante and intercommunal violence. Comparative perspectives with a particular emphasis on the Global South. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
Instructor: Professor Steven Rosenzweig
Democratic Erosion
CAS PO 333 (4 Credits)
TR: 12:30 pm-1:45 pm
Trends in American and European politics have engendered fears about a turn toward authoritarianism where it was once unthinkable. This course explores the causes and consequences of democratic erosion, helping students to put recent developments into comparative and historical perspective. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
Instructor: Professor Metehan Tekinirk
Bombs and Bombshells: Gender, Armed Conflict, and Political Violence
CAS PO 346 (4 Credits)
TR: 12:30 pm-1:45 pm
Interdisciplinary course surveying women’s relationship to political violence with a focus on the evolution of women’s international participation in non-state, religiously-motivated groups. Women’s roles in political violence throughout Western Europe, North America, and the Middle East are explored.
Instructor: Professor Sandra McEvoy
Inequality and American Politics
CAS PO 519 (4 Credits)
R 8:00 am-10:45 am
This course examines the role of income inequality in shaping American politics and policy. Combining research from history, political science, economics, and public policy scholars, we will consider a range of important topics, including inequality in public voice, money and politics, and attitudes towards redistribution. We will apply this knowledge as part of a final paper project in metropolitan Boston. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
Instructor: Professor Katherine Einstein
Rwanda: Genocide and Its Aftermath
CAS PO 560 (4 Credits) Mts w/GRS IR660
TR 11:00 am-12:15 pm
Explores the factors that led to the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda, how Rwanda compares to other cases of genocide and extreme violence, and the efforts in post-genocide Rwanda to rebuild, pursue justice, and promote reconciliation. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
Instructor: Professor Timothy Longman