The Holocaust in History, Literature and Film
Larry E. Jones, PhD, professor of history and Peter Boehm, PhD, assistant professor of modern languages
The program will combine the insights of historical, literary, cinematic and philosophical analysis to develop a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, and its implications for the future of Western civilization, for human nature and for the place of God in the modern world. Students will strive for an understanding of the cultural, ethical and religious implications of the Holocaust and explore the questions that the Holocaust has raised about the presumptive authority of Western civilization, the validity of its cultural integrity and the soundness of its ethical relevance.
Students will be given an opportunity to participate in class field trips to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and visit the sites of the Holocaust in Germany and Poland. The project also seeks to promote greater Christian-Jewish understanding in the light of the Holocaust by providing Canisius College students, who are overwhelmingly Catholic, with an introduction to Jewish history and culture.