Holocaust expert to give keynote lecture at the University of Northampton memorial day

Britain’s role in the Holocaust will be examined during the University of Northampton’s annual Holocaust Memorial Day.

Professor Tom Lawson will be delivering a keynote lecture titled ‘Britain, Genocide and the Holocaust’ during the event, which is open to the public and takes place on Friday 22 January.

Prof Lawson has published two books concerned with the history of the Holocaust – The Church of England and the Holocaust and Debates on the Holocaust. He is also joint editor of the interdisciplinary journal Holocaust Studies: A Journal of Culture and History. His most recent book was The Last Man: A British Genocide in Tasmania and Prof Lawson is currently working on a more general study of Britain and genocide.

Dr Paul Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Modern History, who has organised the event with colleague Dr Nicola Cooper, said: “Remembering the Holocaust remains as important as ever.

“It was an event that symbolised the extreme ways people can treat each other, and sadly genocide and political extremism have not gone away either.

“Reflecting on the history of the Holocaust helps us all become more aware of the extreme attitudes that existed well before the rise of the Nazi regime, and unfortunately are still with us today.”

The lecture begins at 1pm in the University’s Sunley Conference Centre, at Park Campus. It will be preceded at 12.30pm by the University’s Multi-Faith Chaplaincy team conducting a stone-laying ceremony at the Anne Frank/Stephen Lawrence Memorial Tree near to the Fuel food court, Park Campus.

Prof Lawson’s lecture will be followed by further talks and activities, including a student presentation on contemporary fascism in Britain. Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Penelope Flavell, will officially open the day.

More details are available by emailing Paul.Jackson@northampton.ac.uk.