Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Course

The Master of Holocaust and Genocide Studies provides advanced knowledge about the Holocaust, and many other cases of genocide across the world. It explores the Holocaust as a turning point in human history, the causes and effects of modern genocides, and what is now being done to prevent genocide. The teaching and research program enables students to consider the complex issues of genocidal violence, ideology, displaced persons and refugees, human rights, international law, ethics, cultural memory, and community regeneration. Overseas internships offer professional development - students may work in NGOs, museums, courts, and memorial centres. The program highlights the importance of oral history and eyewitness accounts of genocide. A key component of the program is access to the Shoah Visual History Archive held by Monash University, a prime resource for student engagement and scholarly research. Leading international scholars contribute each year to the Master of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The program also offers two winter intensive units during July: students can explore the theme of reconciliation in South Africa and Rwanda in 'After Atrocity', or follow the final journey of European Jews through Berlin, Prague and Krakow.

Upon completion of this course, students will have:

• advanced knowledge of the Holocaust and its application as a paradigmatic case of genocide
• knowledge of modern genocides
• knowledge of a range of factors that radicalise conflict into genocide
• knowledge of the historical responses to genocide
• a capacity to identify possibilities for humanitarian intervention and acts of individual conscience in response to genocide
• a strong understanding of the United Nations Convention on Genocide and its effectiveness
• an understanding of the role of international law and systems of criminal justice for preventing and prosecuting genocide
• an understanding of survivor testimony and the interpretive themes of trauma, memory, and mourning relating to genocide
• an understanding of theoretical approaches to the problem of human violence
• an appreciation of the issues involved in reconciliation in post-genocide societies
• an appreciation of the experience of Australia's indigenous population in relation to the UN definition of genocide
• an appreciation of how genocide is represented in news media, cinema and other cultural domains
• an appreciation of the role of scholarship in identifying and defining genocide
• highly developed critical thinking skills in regard to analysis of the history, representation, prosecution, and prevention of genocide
• the capacity to work and research independently on complex academic and workplace-based projects
• and high level writing, communication and presentation skills.

This course consists of units studied in the following sequence:

• 24 points of level four units
• 24 points of level four or level five units
• 24 points of level five units.

Not all units are offered every year.

Students complete units from the following

• APG4286 Final journey: The life and death of European Jews, 1900-1945
• APG4290/APG5290 Holocaust memories: Landscape, mourning, identity
• APG4293/APG5293 Genocidal thought
• APG4294/APG5294 Fascism, Nazism and racial and social utopias
• APG4298/APG5298 Representing genocides: Media, testimony, history
• APG4621 Genocide and colonialism
• APG4629/APG5629 Global justice: Civil and human rights after 1945
• APG5798 Research project in Holocaust and genocide studies - Part 1 and APG5799 Research project in Holocaust and genocide studies - Part 2
• APG5800 Placement for holocaust and genocide studies (12 points)
• APG4318 Jewish literature of destruction
• LAW7026 Overview of international human rights law
• LAW7218 International humanitarian law
• up to two approved 12-point units from across the University.

Students completing 48 points of this course, including the 24-point research project, may be permitted to enter a research degree.

Students may apply to exit after successful competion of:

• 24 points with a related graduate certificate
• 48 points with course 3947 Graduate Diploma in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Master of Holocaust and Genocide Studies