In 1969, the death of 19 year old Alex Rackley threw New Haven into chaos. Several men from the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary Black Nationalist group, were charged with his murder. Claims of racism and conspiracy abounded, leaving New Haven stuck in a national controversy that culminated in mass demonstrations and a bombing at Ingalls Rink. This course will examine how police officers, administrators, and Yale students worked with the Black Panthers to peacefully prevent rioters from “burning down Yale.” It will also review the role that the FBI’s then-secret “Counter-Intelligence Program” played in this bizarre episode. Finally, we will extract lessons about civil unrest from this era, and try to apply them to modern conflicts between protesters and policemen.

Why do good people do awful things? What could possibly explain the heinous acts performed in Nazi Germany? “Authority, Obedience, and Evil” will address these questions by reviewing some of the most significant (and fascinating) works of scholarship on authority and obedience in the past century. + Learn how Stanley Milgram revealed that most people can be manipulated into fatally electrocuting others. + Discover the legendary “Stanford Prison Experiment,” and see how a position of power can change an individual’s behavior for the worse. I will avoid discussing graphic material in this class, but be forewarned that the topic requires emotional maturity. If you have any questions about the class, please send me an email at kreitzbergsplash@gmail.com