Genocides Throughout History With the devastation of the Holocaust and other more recent events, the study of genocide has mainly focused on the modern period. Yet, mass killings and other atrocities abound in earlier centuries as well.  In this course we will focus on examples across time and space to gain a more comprehensive understanding of such phenomena.  We will consider the very meaning of “genocide” as well as the suitability of other terms.  We will also discuss different explanations of everything from perpetrators’ motivations to victims’ responses.  Finally, we will examine the possibility of preventing genocides.

Writing History In this course students discuss historical methods and writing strategies to create convincing historical narratives. With the approval and guidance of the professor, students complete a 20-25-page research paper based on primary and secondary sources. Students take this course in the fall of their junior year or with permission in the spring.  If students are away for the entire junior year, they can take the course in the fall of their senior year. 3 hr. sem.

History of Modern Europe: 1900-1989 Revolution in Eastern Europe and unification in Western Europe have reshaped the contours of the 20th century. This course will move from turn-of-the-century developments in mass culture and politics through World War I and II, the rise and fall of fascism, and on into the postwar era. This century has seen a series of radically new ideas, catastrophes, and then renewed searches for stability. But we will also investigate century-long movements, including de-colonization, the creation of sophisticated consumer cultures, and the battles among ideas of nationalism, ethnicity, and international interdependency.

Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Reporting Genocide While reports of atrocities and genocides have appeared frequently in the news, little has helped to effectively stop these acts.  Even the basic facts are often poorly understood by the wider public.  We will focus on a variety of atrocities and genocides, considering them from multiple angles and with a particular emphasis on prevention and resolution.  Using our knowledge, we will craft short pieces of public writing, such as op-eds, reviews, and briefings intended to inform and/or influence a general audience.

The History of Medicine: 1700 to Present In this course we will examine how conceptions of sickness, its causes, and its treatment have 	developed over time.  In particular, the emphasis will be on considering not only how advances in 	science and technology have spurred changes in thought and practice but also how larger societal 	factors like religion, economics, and politics have influenced the course of medicine.  We will 	focus on Europe from the eighteenth century onwards, but important comparisons will be drawn to 	earlier periods and other geographic areas including the United States.

The Holocaust Why did the Holocaust happen? How could the Holocaust happen? In this course we will consider several aspects of the Holocaust, including the long-term conditions and events leading up to it, the measures employed in undertaking it, and the aftermath of the atrocities. Beyond a general survey, this course introduces students to the many varying interpretations and historical arguments scholars of the Holocaust have proposed and invites them to discuss and debate these issues in class.

History, Representation, and the Graphic Novel In this course we will read several graphic novels dealing with historical atrocities in the non-Western and Western context during the early modern and modern periods. In particular, we will examine many of the ongoing central issues in atrocity and genocide studies as well as in the historical field more generally regarding inclusivity, representation, accessibility, and accuracy. The growing concern over the gap between academic history and the “real world” will also be examined. Students will gain increased knowledge about historical injustices as well as their integral connection to and impact upon the present. This course is part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities./

History of Modern Europe: 1800-1900 This course will trace several complex threads across the nineteenth century, a period that saw enormous changes in economic structures, political practices, and the experience of daily life. We will look specifically at the construction of nation-states, the industrial revolution and its effects on the lives of the different social classes, the shift from rural to urban life, and the rise of mass culture and its political forms. Taking a cultural perspective, we will consider, for example, the language of working-class politics, the painting of modern urban life, and imperialism in popular culture.

Readings in Modern European History:  Enlightenment, Revolution, and Terror* The French Revolution provided a model for democratic political reform throughout the world, spreading new ideas about equality, national identity, and rights for minorities.  Although informed by the Enlightenment and progressive social thought, it led to the Terror, a period of violence and repression in the name of revolutionary change.   We will examine this attempt to create a just society and the corresponding violence against internal and external enemies.  We will also consider the Revolution’s origins, the events in France, the shock tremors throughout the world, and the long-term repercussions of change.

Rebecca Bennette

Reviews and ratings for Rebecca Bennette at Middlebury College.Rebecca Bennette teaches Genocides Throughout History, History Research Seminar, Modern Europe, 1900-1989 and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Rebecca Bennette good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Professor Benette is an excellent professor and is extremely devoted to ensuring that each student is on pace to complete their writing. We would meet about every other week, and she would give insightful comments on what next steps she thought I should take. 

Very interesting and informative course. You will learn deeply learn about the start of Weimar Republic to the end of Hitler. It will, however, not only stuff you with information and materials but will rather make you think deeply about the cause and the motives behind the most tragic incident in history. Definitely recommend. 

This was easily one of my favorite courses I have taken at Middlebury. It's a discussion heavy class that relies heavily on class participation. The readings are dense, but you can rely on common sense and history to guide you through the course. Only a couple of lectures, but the rest were student lead discussion on ideas that have no clear answer which was fun. 