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Teaching About Genocide: a Cross-Curricular Approach in Art and History

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Teaching About Genocide: a Cross-Curricular Approach in Art and History University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2010 Teaching About Genocide: A Cross-Curricular Approach in Art and History Mark Thorsen University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Methods Commons, and the Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons Recommended Citation Thorsen, Mark, "Teaching About Genocide: A Cross-Curricular Approach in Art and History" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 649. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/649 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. TEACHING ABOUT GENOCIDE: A CROSS-CURRICULAR APPROACH IN ART AND HISTORY _________ A Dissertation Presented to the Morgridge College of Education University of Denver ________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ________ by Mark J. Thorsen June 2010 Advisor: Dr. Nick Cutforth © Copyright by Mark J. Thorsen 2010 All Rights Reserved Author: Mark J. Thorsen Title: TEACHING ABOUT GENOCIDE: A CROSS-CURRICULAR APPROACH IN ART AND HISTORY Advisor: Dr. Nick Cutforth Degree Date: June 2010 ABSTRACT This study describes the experiences of suburban area high school 10th, 11th, and 12th grade art students immersed in a cross-curricular study of the Holocaust and genocide. Three participant-educators, art teachers, and I, a history teacher, designed a two week curricular unit which was implemented in January, 2010, to increase student- participant awareness and action to address the global problem of genocide. This cross- curricular unit used non-discursive sources of testimony in a variety of forms of representation to inspire student-participant artwork. Four research questions guided this study: How do educators use a variety of forms of representation to teach the complexities of genocide? What were the experiences of student-participants and participant-educators engaged in this curriculum? What types of meaning can be gleaned about genocide education by employing a variety of forms of representation? What meanings can students demonstrate about genocide by using a variety of forms of representation? As the study was aesthetic in nature, I employed Elliot Eisner’s Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism. I collected various forms of data including, field notes, formal and informal, group and individual, interviews, and artifacts including participant- student artwork and written reflections. Using aesthetic forms of testimony led to the student-participants making profound empathetic and emotional connections to the material. The participant-students and educators demonstrated a strong sense of ii community and trust which was difficult for me to penetrate as an outsider. However, students were empowered by the freedom to interpret a variety of meanings in a personal and engaging manner. They demonstrated an understanding of the complexities of genocide study as well as the antecedent actions of individuals and groups that can lead to genocidal events. The student-participants perceived their production of art as an act to prevent genocide by increasing awareness and action. Contributions of the study include the unique power of the arts to inform, recognition of the promises and struggles of interdisciplinary methods, and the value of instructional strategies, that include non-discursive sources of testimony, for Holocaust and genocide education. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have so many people to thank. The colleagues and friends at Prairie, Jeff, Kyle, Patty, Karlee, Hannah, Alex, and Mariah, worked so hard to help make this project a reality. Admiration to my fellow coaches and mentors, Tim, Corey, Randy, and Paul, who supported me through this process and picked-up the slack during my absence. Thank you for encouraging me to start Adam. I love you Macedog. My dissertation committee members, Paul and Bruce, have been instrumental in the creation of this project and have served as mentors throughout my coursework. They have inspired me and I am grateful for their willingness to help. My advisor, Nick, has transformed my perceptions of what I can accomplish, and his undying patience, humor, and guidance have accessed a growing passion in me to refine my craft as an educator and researcher. My family has been an extremely valuable support system throughout. My siblings, Matt, Micki, Jimmy, John, and Stef, and their families have shown love, and I can never thank them for what this has meant to me. My mother, Ruth, has always been encouraging and proud of my accomplishments. I hope my father, Duke, who passed a little over a year ago, is looking on me with the same love and endearment that defined our relationship. When I started this program, my wife and I had no children. Through many struggles, we have been blessed with three beautiful sons: Adam, Lukas, and Michael. Agape love defines my wife’s parents, George and Georgia, in their support of our family, but their greatest contribution was my wife, Christina. Without her drive and passion to care, I would not have been inspired to pursue this program. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: Foundations of the Study ..............................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Description of the Study ..........................................................................................3 Definition of Terms .................................................................................................7 Rationale: Teaching About Genocide .....................................................................8 Developing an Anti-Genocide Constituency .........................................................10 The Study ...............................................................................................................16 Research Questions ....................................................................................16 The Method ................................................................................................18 The Researcher...........................................................................................22 Approval and Support of the Study ...........................................................23 Chapter Two: Literature Review .......................................................................................25 Introduction ............................................................................................................25 Context of the Study ..............................................................................................27 Studies that Teach About Genocide ...........................................................27 Studies that Teach Against Genocide ........................................................30 Studies that Teach to Prevent Genocide ....................................................32 Teaching Genocide and Holocaust Content ...........................................................34 Content for Teaching About Genocide ......................................................38 Content for Teaching Against Genocide....................................................49 Content for Teaching to Prevent Genocide ................................................54 The Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Study ...........................................................61 Using the Arts to Teach About Genocide ..................................................63 Using the Arts to Teach Against Genocide ................................................67 Using the Arts to Teach to Prevent Genocide ............................................69 Summary ................................................................................................................72 Chapter Three: Methodology .............................................................................................74 Introduction ............................................................................................................74 The Study in Focus ................................................................................................75 Qualitative Research ..............................................................................................80 Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism ..........................................................82 Research Design ....................................................................................................87 The District and School at a Glance .........................................................89 Mr. Painter’s Room ...................................................................................95 Mr. Design’s Room ...................................................................................97 Ms. Shutter’s Room ...................................................................................98 Participants ...............................................................................................101 Mr. Painter ..................................................................................101 Mr. Design ..................................................................................102
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