In this lesson, we will examine some of the most contentious debates that surround the history of the Holocaust. To become familiar with different theories related to the interpretation of the Holocaust, students will explore the work of two sociologists: Norbert Elias and Zygmunt Bauman. Norbert Elias was a German sociologist who took an optimistic view of modernity and human development. Before the rise of the Nazis, he predicted that violence in human societies would decrease. He explains the Holocaust as being caused by social and cultural disease in Germany. Zygmunt Bauman, the Polish-British sociologist, considers the problem to be rooted in modernity and believes that modernity actually laid the groundwork for Nazism. This lesson will also examine the concept of tolerance, as well as “tolerant” and “authoritarian” personalities, discussing the argument that authoritarianism in German culture and education played an important role in the Holocaust.
The first lesson will discuss the importance of learning about and discussing the Holocaust, highlighting...