Unit name | History, Law and Memory: The Holocaust on Trial (Level H Reflective History) |
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Unit code | HIST38013 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Andy Flack |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This Reflective History unit explores the relationship between history, law and memory, by taking a series of high profile trials related to the Holocaust as the starting point for broader reflection. The trials span the period from the immediate aftermath of the war in Allied controlled Europe, through Israel and West Germany in the 1960s, France in the 1990s and Britain at the turn of the century. These trials raise questions about the nature of evidence, the value of witness testimony, as well as the reasons for and nature of these different legal proceedings. Ultimately they force us to range more widely and consider a host of bigger issues such as the concept of crimes against humanity, international and national jurisdiction, the instrumental use of trials by the state, media reporting, the nature of 'truth' for historians and lawyers and the relationship between trials, history and memory.
Aims:
Reflective history is identified in the Subject Benchmarking Statement as an important skill. Whilst students will reflect on their work in all of their units the aim of this unit will be to focus on that reflective practice and to enable students to carry it forward in conjunction with a particular historical subject matter which will fit in with their overall portfolio of subject/period/theme-based units.
Seminars - 2 hours per week
1 x 24 hour seen exam