Concluding Reflection

This module introduced students to thinking about the history of the Holocaust through the lens of Religion and Culture.

The following questions encourage you to reflect on and synthesize the content and ideas from this module.

Concluding Reflection Questions

1. What do we gain from focusing on religion and culture in our understanding of the Holocaust and Antisemitism?
2. What is the role of anti-Judaism (as opposed to antisemitism) and the history of the Holocaust when we focus on Christian versus Muslim contexts?
3. What are the ethical and political dilemmas inherent in focusing on religion and culture in oral histories and testimonies of Holocaust survivors? Who is included? Who is excluded?
4. How can we critically reflect on the tensions between collaboration with the Nazis by religious leadership and the deeply religiously motivated efforts to rescue Jews, often at great personal risk?
5. What is the role of Jewish voices in the history of Christians and Muslims and the Holocaust? Should they still be foregrounded? Why or why not?
6. How does a nuanced understanding of religion and culture during the Holocaust provide a vantage point for thinking about contemporary social and political issues?