HOLOCAUST EDUCATION, ANTIRACISM AND CITIZENSHIP

In this paper we assess the potential of Holocaust education as a medi um for developing 'maximalist' notions of citizenship among students o f secondary school age. Particular attention is given to the contribut ion that such teaching can make to the realisation of anti-racist goal s. Because of the dearth of published work in the UK on the effects of learning about the Holocaust, we present the findings of a case study of 14 and 15 year olds' perceptions of this aspect of curricular prov ision. The case study, which forms the empirical core of the paper, wa s undertaken in 1996. The sample, comprising both males and females fr om a variety of ethnic backgrounds, was drawn form six secondary schoo ls in South East England. The discussion focuses upon: (i) the impact of Holocaust education on the students' understanding of racism (and, in particular, their ability to recognise and deconstruct stereotypes) ; (ii) the students' opinions on the value of Holocaust education in p reparing young people for active citizenship in a participatory plural ist democracy. We conclude by exploring the pedagogic implications of the study.