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| You are here: 2000 / Workshops, Panels and Seminars / Workshops on Research / Workshop 2 on Research, "Teaching and Researching Genocide from a Comparative Perspective" / Presentation by Professor Kristian Gerner | |||||||||
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Report from Workshop 2 on Research: "Teaching and Researching Genocide From a Comparative Perspective" Presentation by Professor Kristian Gerner Presentation by Professor Robert Melson Presentation by Dr. Christian P. Scherrer Presentation by Professor Kristian Gerner Gerner, Kristian Holocaust, genocide and the open society General guidelines: Because it is the ultimate outcome of antisemitism, the Holocaust is both unique and specific for Christian society. The Jewish people have been seen as alien and treated accordingly in Christian theology and practice, in Marxist learning and practice and in Nazi learning and practice. The Holocaust is paradigmatic and it is pointless to teach about genocide without reference to it. However, what shall be highlighted is the motivations for and mechanisms of actual genocides, using the Holocaust as an ideal type. Communism and Nazism are extreme varieties of Christian (Western) civilization. They have their ideological roots in secularised Christian society’s belief in science, in laws of development, applied to societies and ‘races’, respectively; they have their historical roots in the First World War, which was characterised by total disrespect for human life and the value of the individual, by techniques of mass extermination, by mass mobilisation and by war propaganda for the masses. Thus Nazi crimes and Communist crimes should be treated as one whole, with due stress on the main difference, genocide based on notions of ‘race’ and of ‘class’, respectively. Teaching on the Holocaust in societies characterised by antisemitism, ethnic intolerance, previous hate crimes and right-wing nationalist movements must be based upon the same foundations as teaching in societies where these phenomena are present although not defining characeristics, i.e., all societies. That is, one must start from indoctrination of the values of individual rights, of the sanctity of life and of democracy. Teaching on the Holocaust is not compatible with defence or endorsement of the death penalty. The differences in teaching on the Holocaust in different societies boils down to the questions of each society’s previous role during the Holocaust and which role the Holocaust has had in the historical consciousness of the society. An interesting case is South Africa, a haven for Jews escaping from Nazi terror and at the same time a racist, apartheid society. Teaching on the Holocaust, genocide and racism must be based on an analysis of the history of fighting and enhancing racism in the United States within the conflict triangle of WASPs, Jews and Afro-Americans: the road from the AAACP and the ADL to Black Islam and Farrakhan. Observations Researching and teaching are quite different activities. The role of comparison in both cases is to look for differences and similarities in different societies. However, whereas research must be motivated by a theoretical knowledge interest, teaching must be based on theories and methods of communication and didactic. A fundamental issue is the question whether historical knowledge and knowledge of group dynamics, identity building and so forth, can influence society in a humane direction. The task seems to be to place Holocaust and genocide research and teaching within the theoretical framework of the notion about ‘the open society’ and the critical methodological rule known as ‘falsification,’ both developed by the late Sir Karl Popper. His answer to the question how genocide can be prevented is a recipe against totalitarianism: to avoid catastrophic effects of political decisions, societal change must come about in small steps in a trial and error process of feed-back, adaptation and renewed attempts. What must be researched and taught about thus are the mechanisms of the opposite social systems of totalitarianism and piecemeal engineering. >> Back to top |
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Introduction Opening Session: Messages and speeches Plenary Sessions: Messages and speeches Workshops, Panels and Seminars
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| For information about this production and the Stockholm International Forum Conference Series please go to www.humanrights.gov.se or contact Information Rosenbad, SE-103 33 Stockholm, Sweden | |||||||||