General provisions

The Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University, is responsible for the course.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Proficiency in English.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to

• discuss and explain key theories in the field of memory studies
• compare different theoretical concepts in the field of memory studies and their relationship to various academic subjects
• identify and critically analyse European debates regarding the legacy of the Holocaust and other forms of political terror and how it should be dealt with
• describe and critically compare different forms of representation of the past, including fiction, films and memorials
• compare Holocaust memory to that of other instances of genocide and mass political persecution in Europe
• analyse and compare memorialisation and representation on European-wide, national, regional and local levels
• assess the impact of memory about violent pasts on European culture, identity and politics
• relate European developments to similar processes in other parts of the world

Content

The course aims at deepening the students’ knowledge about various forms of memory and representation of the Holocaust and other instances of genocide and mass political violence in Europe, with a particular emphasis on comparisons between its western and eastern regions. Key theories will be discussed, as well as distinctions between concepts such as social, cultural and collective memory and their relationship to state- and nation-building processes. Departing from different representations of the Holocaust, we will analyse how various forms of mass political persecution are negotiated on the European, regional, national and local levels. While focusing on European developments since the 1980s, students will also be required to compare with similar processes in other parts of the world, such as the United States, Armenia, Rwanda and Cambodia.

Instruction

Instructions will take place in the form of lectures, seminars and group presentations.

Assessment

Assessment will be based upon written and oral assignments. Students that have missed a small number of mandatory assignments may complete them by the end of the term at the latest. If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.