If this is a human being

Abstract

This article focuses on the project If This Is a Human Being , which explores innovative methods for Holocaust education using illustration-based methods, and tactile and interactive approaches to learning and teaching history. We developed three workshops for university students investigating Norwegian-Jewish micro-histories during the Second World War, and our findings indicate that the methods fostered engagement, concentration and a sense of accountability towards the historical Other. The project aimed to supplement existing Holocaust education by providing new tools and techniques to address challenging subjects like the Holocaust in an educational setting, and to create pedagogical environments that promote historical thinking and responsibility, using a design-based research approach to develop and refine these educational strategies.