Alma Jeftić: Teaching History after Auschwitz: Possibilities for Peace Education

“It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say. It can happen, and it can happen everywhere.” ― Primo Levi

Theodor Adorno (1951) wrote that “writing poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric” (“...nach Auschwitz ein Gedicht zu schreiben, ist barbarisch,...”). The major aim of this lecture is to analyse if (and how) history can be taught after Auschwitz, Hiroschima, Vukovar, Bosnia, Myanmar (and many more). It has been widely addressed that history classes can contribute to the formation of different (and difficult) narratives that further hinder reconciliation. Therefore, the re-organisation of history classes will be elaborated in line with the experiential learning techniques and their role in development of historical empathy. The foundations and possibilities for the establishment of peace education will be discussed. 

Lecture by Alma Jeftić, University of Belgrade