What drives ordinary people to resist authoritarian rule?
Drawing on case studies from Nazi Germany, Communist Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union, Bruce guides participants through the stories of pastors, poets, factory workers, and dissidents who had to choose between safety and solidarity. Expect close readings (think Bonhoeffer, Havel, Klemperer), lively discussion, and concrete take-aways for our own democratic fragility.
Details
Instructor: Dr. Bruce Berglund
A history professor for two decades, Bruce has earned three Fulbright fellowships and visited 17 different countries for his
research and teaching work. His latest book, The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey & the Globalization of Sports, was
published by the University of California Press in 2020 and released as an audiobook by Audible in 2021. His previous book,
a history of Prague in the 1920s and 30s, was released in Czech translation in 2021. Bruce is also the author of five books for
young readers published by Capstone Press. He works as a writer and editor at Gustavus Adolphus College.
Format: Live on Zoom · 8 weeks · Thursdays, 6:30 pm ET · Sept 11 – Nov 6
How to take the course:
Cost (CAD)
Audit (non‑credit) || $400 for first-time auditors (approximately $292 USD)
For credit || $1,500 (approximately $1096 USD)
Auditors participate fully in the weekly conversation—no papers, no exams.