CVA2011 Western Culture: World Wars and Holocaust
4 Intermediate Liberal Arts Credits
What does it mean to live in a society subsumed by total war? What happens to bodies and minds as they experience war—not just those performing active combat, but those living on the home front? What strategies do people devise to survive? How do they make sense of the realities of war, starvation, imprisonment, occupation, and genocide—if they make sense of them at all? In this course, we will deep dive into what has been called the quintessential experience of the 20th century: total war. Throughout the course, we will question two things: first, what do we mean by total war and how is it different from other kinds of war? And second, how can we recover the experiences of those who lived through total war? Over the course of the semester, you will develop your own understanding of the definition of total war and will apply it to the ordeals of WWI and WWII, through analysis of the diaries, memoirs, poetry, philosophy, artwork, music, and recipes that these men, women, and children left behind. Our class will balance lecture and discussion; students will have the opportunity to lead discussion on a variety of topics, including art, philosophy, and memorials. Through a series of short analytical essays, a semester-long creative historical project in which you will adopt the voice of a historical actor, and trips to local museums, we will assess the impact of the world wars on numerous aspects of life today, including how they reshaped national and international boundaries, identities, and ideologies.
Prerequisites: (FCI1000 or AHS1000) and (WRT1001or RHT1000)