UVic’s I-witness Field School on Holocaust Memorialization

The Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies at the University of Victoria is pleased to accept applications for the next I-witness Field School. In May of 2018, Dr. Helga Thorson will lead a group of students to central Europe to study Holocaust memorialization. Participants in the field school encounter various types of memorial spaces in four different countries—from the sites of former concentration camps to the stumbling stone project, from former ghettos to railway stations, from cemeteries to T-4 euthanasia sites, from museums to memorials. This field school course consists of one week of intensive study at the University of Victoria followed by three weeks in Central Europe (May 7 – June 3, 2018), traveling to Poland, Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

Students in this 3-unit, 400-level course have the opportunity to acquire a deeper understanding of antisemitism, racism, religious intolerance, homophobia and the stigmatization of the mentally and physically disabled communities. The course promotes intercultural learning through a variety of activities including joint workshops with European students and visits to memorial sites, museums, and monuments of the Holocaust. Upon return to Canada, participants will share their experiences through formal presentations and discussions on university campuses, in high schools, and with the local community.

The Field School is designed for students from any discipline and is also open to applicants from other universities. Graduate students are also encouraged to apply upon permission from their graduate program supervisor.  For further information, contact Helga Thorson at  iwitness@uvic.ca.

Course Application Deadline: November 1, 2017
Initial Deposit due: November 15, 2017
Dates of class sessions: May 7 – June 3, 2018

For more information:  https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/germanicslavic/undergraduate/home/fieldschool/index.php