INQ-120 | The Daily Lives of Nazis

Full Title: The Daily Lives of Nazis

Topic Description:

The Nazi regime of Germany is one of the most defining examples of a totalitarian state. This course will address the ethical dimensions of the culture produced by Nazi Germany, taking into account its ideological origins, treatment of women and “outsiders,” implementation of state-sponsored terror and utilization of propaganda. We will interrogate questions of belonging, responsibility, guilt, and the functions of art and entertainment in this early, totalitarian regime. How can we reconcile a political regime that promised an ideal life to its citizens even while sponsoring terror and turmoil? Who is responsible for the atrocities committed in the name of preserving this regime and why can we or why can we not consider them responsible? How do we differentiate “art” from propaganda? Finally, how does what we have learned about this culture apply to its legacies both in Europe and in the United States today?

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: November 2019