| Title: | Nazi "Special Path" to War |
|---|---|
| Course Section Number: | HIS-330-01 |
| Department: | History |
| Description: | This seminar explores Nazi Germany through the Sonderweg (special path) thesis. Developed by historians, the controversial Sonderweg thesis asserts that Germany followed a unique trajectory of political and economic development in the 19th and early 20th centuries distinct from Western Europe, setting the stage for Nazism. The course begins by tracing the origins and core arguments of the Sonderweg thesis, examining how historians have characterized Imperial and Weimar Germany as deviating from Western norms of capitalist democracy and rule of law. It then explores scholarly debates around the validity of the idea that Germany had a "special path" divergent from the West. Students in the course will analyze primary sources and historical works that support and contradict the Sonderweg interpretation to address some of the following questions. What were the unique factors that gave rise to Hitler's movement? To what extent did Nazi ideology and institutions have indigenous roots? Why did Nazi rule culminate in unprecedented genocide? Did modern communications support the rise of Nazism? Was warfare inevitable? Through discussion, students will arrive at their own conclusions about the roots of Nazism and Germany's departure from or continuity with European norms. Finally, they will reflect on the legacy of the Sonderweg thesis for historians' current understanding of German and European history. This seminar focuses on debate and discussion, culminating in a short research paper on some aspect of the "special path" interpretation of German history. |
| Credits: | 1.00 |
| Start Date: | August 21, 2024 |
| End Date: | December 14, 2024 |
| Meeting Information: |
08/22/2024-12/12/2024 Lecture Tuesday, Thursday 01:10PM - 02:25PM, Room to be Announced
|
| Faculty: | Rhoades, Michelle |
| Requisite Courses: | 0.5 credits from HIS. |
Course Status
| Section Name/Title | Status | Dept. | Capacity |
Enrolled/ Available/ Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HIS-330-01
Nazi "Special Path" to War |
OPEN | History | 15 | 6 / 9 / 0 |