Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Holocaust, Genocide, and Atrocities: Global Histories and Ethics (Face-to-Face)

LANG 3110-01

Course: LANG 3110-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: FLPH
CRN: 12520

Course Description

While the Holocaust (or: Shoah) is front and center in many discussions of historical violence and mass trauma, it is certainly not an independent occurrence in world history. In this course, we examine the Holocaust, the Nanking massacre in 1937, the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), and other events of global importance. Typically, readers and viewers would like to forget the past, especially the world events that make us most uncomfortable to behold. Paradoxically, our very survival as human beings is arguably predicated on our continued observation and examination of past traumas and how they form patterns of violence and abuse that circulate worldwide. A thorough coming to terms with the past will guide us in learning how to live a better and more just life. This course will provide students with theoretical frameworks and critical methods for engaging with these histories and representations of them, so that they may also apply what they learn to their own lives, careers, and development as responsible citizens who demand justice and fairness in the world.

In this course, we will pursue two primary objectives. First, we will explore the historical events of genocide and acquire an historical framework for understanding the breadth and the scope of the violence committed by perpetrators. Second, we will explore the ways in which visual arts, literature and film, both fictional and documentary, have attempted to narrate the events and aftermath of genocidal violence. Central to our investigation of these texts will be issues of representation, authenticity, appropriateness, and uniqueness, the role of memory, the problems and limits of language, questions of trauma, the phenomenon of post-memory, and the development of post-traumatic identities. Throughout the semester, students will read/view primary texts, engage in classroom discussion and teamwork, culminating with a final project that allows them to explore human history, violence, and the dilemma of survival and witnessing.

Required Texts

Bergen, Doris. War & Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust. 3rd ed. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. ISBN: 1442242280.

All the other course readings are provided in PDF format on Canvas. Films are available via Avon or Kanopy. Students are expected to read/view and take detailed notes on all required readings and film viewings before class. Students will be quizzed regularly on course readings and viewings.

Learning Outcomes

In this course students will learn to:

th century but in the entire history of humanity;

In addition, we will focus on acquiring the following SUU Essential Learning Outcomes, and by the end of this course, successful students will have demonstrated skills in:

  • Intercultural Knowledge & Competence: Students demonstrate that they possess a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
  • Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action (4.0 Critical Thinking).
  • Demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world through study in the fine arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, life, and physical sciences (11.0. Knowledge of Human Cultures & the Physical & Natural World).

Course Requirements

Attendance & Participation (20%)

Students are expected to attend each session and should be prepared to discuss the assigned films and readings. Please come to class having completed the readings. Raise questions and share your comments with your classmates.

Reading and Screening Quizzes (15%)

Short quizzes based on the assigned reading, screening, and lecture material will take place throughout the semester, typically once every other week. You cannot consult the readings while taking the quiz. You can consult your handwritten or printed types of notes on the readings.

Response Videos (20%)

Students create two (2) videos in which they respond to specific questions posed about the readings, films, and class discussions. Your work must be original, not plagiarized, and not inspired by the written work of other students.

Mid-term Exam (20%)

A midterm exam will assess students’ comprehensive understanding of course content.

Final Project & Presentation (25%)

Students work individually or in groups (up to 3 students) to create artistic and/or analytical works (a letter, short story, piece of artwork, music, songs, short film, a play, etc.) that demonstrate their overall comprehension of and reflection on the topics and concepts discussed in class. The works will be presented and discussed in the final class sessions.

Course Grade Scale

A: 93-100; A-: 90-92.99; B+: 87-89; B: 83-86; B-: 80-82; C+: 77-79; C: 73-76; C-: 70-72; D+: 67-69; D 63-65 D- 60-62 F<60

Course Outline

Subject to change. Updates will be announced and posted to Canvas if changes occur.

Unit 1: Introduction
DateRead/View Before ClassDuring ClassAssignment Due
R 01/08SyllabusIntroductions
Syllabus overview
Unit 2: Holocaust & Genocide
DateRead/View Before ClassDuring ClassAssignment Due
T 01/13War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 1-43)Discuss terminology/critical vocabulary overview
R 01/15War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 45-67)Discuss War & Genocide
T 01/20War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 69-127)Discuss War & Genocide, cont.
R 01/22War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 129-206)Discuss War & Genocide, cont.
T 01/27War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 207-273)Discuss War & Genocide, cont.
R 01/29War & Genocide (Doris Bergen, p. 275-310)Quiz #1
T 02/03Liebe Perla (Shahar Rozen, 1998) – film available on AVONQuiz #2

Discuss Auschwitz and the Aktion Reinhard killing centers
Discuss questions of perpetration and ethics (guilt and responsibility)
R 02/05Son of Saul (László Nemes, 2015) – film available on Avon
T 02/10Son of Saul, cont.Quiz #3
R 02/12Outtakes from Shoah (Claude Lanzmann, 1985) – watch and discuss in class
T 02/17Excerpt from Shanghai Refuge (Ernest G. Heppner, 1993)Discuss Jewish refugees in Shanghai
Discuss displacement and exile
R 02/19A Jewish Girl in Shanghai (animated film on YouTube)Quiz #4

Discuss Jewish refugees, cont.
T 02/24Review session for the midterm exam
R 02/26Midterm Exam
Unit 3: War & Genocide
DateRead/View before ClassDuring ClassAssignment Due
T 03/03Research Cultural Revolution onlineCultural Revolution (1966-1976)Video Response #1
R 03/05Short story, “The Wounded” (Lu Xinhua, 1979)Quiz #5

Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
T 03/10Spring Break (no class)
R 03/12Spring Break (no class)
T 03/17Assigned readings from The Rape of Nanking (Iris Chang)Discuss The Nanking Massacre (1937)
R 03/19Assigned readings from The Rape of Nanking (Iris Chang)Discuss The Nanking Massacre (1937), cont.
T 03/24Nanking (Bill Guttentag & Dan Sturman, 2007) – documentary available on ICSUU (Feb 12, 5:30 pm), Netflix, AmazonQuiz #6
Discuss Nanking
R 03/26Buried History: Retracing the Chinese Massacre of 1871 (2021)
Available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjZmMUZgwrQ
Quiz #7
1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre
T 03/31Festival of Excellence (no class)
R 04/02Historical Documents: Office of the Historian on Rock Springs Massacre and social mediaDiscuss Rock Springs Massacre (Sept. 2, 1885, Wyoming) on traditional and social media
Unit 4: Final Project
DateRead/View prior to class discussionDuring ClassAssignment Due
T 04/07Workshop final projectsVideo Response #2
R 04/09Workshop final projects
T 04/14Final Project presentations
R 04/16Final Project presentations

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late assignments will be read but not graded. No make-up quizzes or tests will be provided.

Attendance Policy

You may have up to 2 (two) unexcused absences without incurring a penalty. For every unexcused absence after the second, your final grade will be reduced by 5%, which equals about half a letter grade. Absences without valid documentation are considered as unexcused absences. Arriving more than 10 minutes late or leaving early will be defined as being absent. You will receive extra credits if you attend every class during the semester.

Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.