Spring 2026 Courses for the Program in Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Studies (HGHRS). For the full list of courses with descriptions, scroll down.
Holocaust Studies
RN 384: The Holocaust
Prof. Steven Katz
TR 3:30-4:45pm
4 Credits
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.
Hub Units: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
Other Electives
CAS RN 249: Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism
Prof. Adam Seligman
MWF 10:10 – 11:00am
4 Credits
Explores historical and contemporary manifestations of Islamophobia and antisemitism. Students are exposed to wide range of relevant written and visual texts as well as theoretical approaches. Includes active learning component and collaborative presentations by students.
Hub Units: Ethical Reasoning, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SPH LW 740: Health and Human Rights
Prof. Sondra Crosby
T 10:00am – 12:50pm
Graduate Prerequisites: (SPHPH719) or consent of instructor.
This course focuses on health and it is closely linked to the realization of human rights. Preventable illness, infant mortality, and premature death, for example, are closely tied to societal discrimination and violation of human rights. This course explores the relationship between human rights and health by examining relevant international declarations in historical context, exploring the meaning of “human rights” and “health,” and analyzing specific case studies that illuminate the problems, prospects, and potential methods of promoting health by promoting human rights on the national and international levels.
Holocaust Electives
CAS HI 539: Nazis on Film
Prof. Jonathan Zatlin
T 3:30 – 6:15pm
4 Credits
Explores changing representations of Nazis on the silver screen, from celebrations of the “Third Reich” to post-1945 depictions of Nazis as evil. Focuses on the longing for strong leadership, pleasure at inflicting pain on enemies, fear of others, and racism.
Hub Units: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness.
CAS JS 367: The Holocaust Through Film
CI 387/XL 387
Dr. Ofra Amihay
Section A1: MWF 10:10 – 11:00am
Section B1: MWF 11:15am – 12:05pm
4 Credits
Undergraduate Prerequisites: 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?
Hub Units: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
Genocide Studies Electives
CAS PO 334: Political Violence
Prof. Steven Rosenzweig
TR 9:30 – 10:45am
4 Credits
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.
Hub Units: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
Human Rights Electives
CAS IR 453: Forced Migration and Human Trafficking
Prof. Noora Lori
M 2:30 – 5:15pm
4 Credits
Causes and impact of forced migration and human trafficking. Role of conflict and state formation; emergence of international human rights and domestic asylum laws; role of international organizations, private sector and security forces in both combating and enabling human trafficking.
CAS PO 333: Democratic Erosion
Prof. Steven Rosenzweig
TR 8:00 – 9:15am
4 Credits
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.
Hub Units: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 508: The Judiciary and Civil Liberties
Prof. David Glick
T 3:30 – 6:15pm
4 Credits
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120)
First Amendment rights of speech, press, assembly, religion; rights of defendants in criminal cases; and the constitutional protection of racial minorities. Supreme Court decision-making processes and modes of compliance with its decisions are also considered.
Hub Units: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness.