Claudia Koonz

Claudia Koonz is Peabody Family Distinguished Professor Emerita of History at Duke University, specializing in Nazi Germany and Holocaust studies. Her research examines how moral self-perception enabled participation in exclusionary policies.

Education includes:

• Ph.D. from Rutgers University (1969)
• M.A. from Columbia University (1964)
• B.A. from University of Wisconsin, Madison (1962)

Publications analyze the ideological construction of 'otherness' in Nazi public culture, with influential works on gender roles during the Third Reich. Research investigates the interplay between popular racial science, expert opinion, and mainstream acceptance of exclusionary policies. Current projects explore how citizens reconcile moral self-perception with support for discriminatory policies.

Major fellowships include Guggenheim and National Humanities Center awards. Media contributions include analyses of contemporary authoritarianism and historical parallels in political discourse.