HIST 218 - The Origins of Totalitarianism

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

In this Intensive course, we read the entirety of Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism. Publislhed in 1951 amid much controversy, the book seeks to explain how a new form of violent and authoritarian poitics emerged in the mid twentieth century that differed in both degree and kind from tyrannical regimes of the past. Week by week, we work together to make sense of her argument, accssess its validity, and reflect broadly on the development of “totalitaranism” as a concept in modern political discourse. We also use her book as a springboard to grapple with curcial historical questions related to the study of mass violence, liberalism, and illiberalism in modern Europe: What is the relationship between civil society and democracy? What contributed to the proliferation of race science and of antisemitism in the late nineteenth century? And to what extent can we establish a casual link between imperialism and genocide? Students lead discussions at least twice throughout the semester. They also produce a final project–such as a paper, a podast, or a book review–that elaborates on a major theme discussed in the course. Anna Solovy.

One 2-hour period.

Course Format: INT