The Why of the Holocaust

For years, the Holocaust was portrayed as an act of unspeakable violence by humans who acted like animals. Yet this portrayal led to an inability to understand the psychology of the perpetrators of genocide. Further, many misunderstand why many of the victims of the Holocaust did not leave Europe, imagining that they simply chose not to leave. This course will examine why and how the Nazis were able to influence and enable almost an entire continent to murder, and why many of the Jews in Europe stayed in Europe. It will focus specifically on what impact these conclusions can have on genocide prevention for today.

Jason Hensley, PhD, teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a member of Civic Spirit's teacher education cohort, and the award-winning author of 10 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for people age 50 and older.

Register

Register by 3 p.m., Jan. 17