The Holocaust and Human Behavior: Facing History to Build the Future with Roger Brooks

Renowned educator, scholar, and leader, Roger Brooks joined Facing History in late 2014, following a long and distinguished tenure at Connecticut College as the Elie Wiesel Professor in the Department of Religious Studies (1991-2014). He also served as Associate Dean of the Faculty (2003-2007) and Dean of the Faculty and Chief Academic Officer (2007-2014). He was named Elie Wiesel Professor Emeritus of Judaic Studies at the College in 2015.

Roger is known for his leadership in curricular reform designed to prepare for and respond to the changing landscape of higher education. He developed and implemented new policies for hiring and retention of diverse faculty at Connecticut College, including systematic outreach to graduate schools and individualized retention plans. He also has a longstanding partnership with the Holocaust Education Foundation, which prepares collegiate faculty to teach curriculum related to the Holocaust and genocide. Roger is an expert in early rabbinic culture, particularly in the third- through fifth-century tax codes that emphasized the relationships between incipient rabbinic culture, the Jews, their God, and Roman Imperial power. He is the author or editor of six books and numerous articles, including several volumes of translation and commentary on foundational Jewish texts.