Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Noah Strote, an associate professor of history at North Carolina State University, will deliver the 2017 Sherman Lecture, “Uprooting Fascism: Germany and Western Democracy Since Hitler,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Warwick Center. The free event, part of the Sherman Emerging Scholar Lecture Series, is presented by the UNCW Department of History and is open to the public.

“The topic of Dr. Strote’s lecture has direct relevance to the contemporary political climate,” said department chair Lynn Wood Mollenauer. “His research not only helps us understand the causes of Germany’s embrace of Nazism, but also illuminates how and why Germany was able to so quickly emerge as a politically stable, economically viable state in the aftermath of World War II. Germany’s transition from fascism to democracy has valuable lessons to offer about overcoming political polarization and may even provide a road map for the preservation of democratic ideals in the face of overwhelming challenges.”

Strote disputes the widely held notion among Americans that the United States “taught” Germans democracy following World War II. He posits that Germans created their own stable Western democracy by ending culture wars and political polarization. The lecture will cover Germany’s descent into fascism as well as the postwar rebuilding years that saw the country’s rise as a democratic leader in Western Europe.

The Sherman Emerging Scholar Lecture Series was endowed by Phillip Sherman and Ann Sherman-Skiba in honor of their parents, Virginia and Derrick Sherman, lifelong learners and friends of the UNCW Department of History. The series provides an opportunity for young scholars to share research that connects history with current world challenges or events.

UNCW’s Strategic Plan emphasizes learning experiences that go beyond the classroom, as well as inviting the community to participate in programs of broad interest.

-- Tricia Vance

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