FYS553

In 1943, Jewish refugee and scholar Hannah Arendt linked the fate of refugees with peace in Europe, arguing that it “went to pieces when, and because, it allowed its weakest member to be excluded and persecuted” (“We Refugees,” 274). This course examines the “refugee” since the eighteenth century, focusing on the histories of European Jews from the late nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century. Students read first-person accounts, media, and government documents, as well as scholarly articles about refugees from a variety of disciplines. Our aim is to investigate the historical contexts of refugee crises, including the experiences of the individuals and communities at the base of refugee crises. In this effort, we will start to see these experiences as shaped by the dynamic - and often fraught - efforts to end these crises and find workable solutions.

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