Holocaust research presentation to mark Yom HaShoah at Penn State Hazleton

HAZLETON, Pa. - Penn State Hazleton will feature a faculty research presentation by Michael F. Polgar, professor of sociology, on Tuesday, April 14, at 1:30 p.m. in room 109 of the Evelyn Graham Academic Building. The event is free and open to the public.

The presentation, titled "Words cannot express…the Holocaust distorts language," will examine how Nazi violence distorted and destroyed expression and communication during the Holocaust.

The event is being held in observance of Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, to commemorate the six million Jews and millions of others who were murdered or died as a result of Nazi persecution.

Drawing on Holocaust memoirs and historical analysis, Polgar's research explores how language itself became a tool of violence. Communication, he said, was diminished and deformed through degrading directives and constant threats imposed on concentration camp prisoners, while broader populations were subject to extensive propaganda and disinformation.

Polgar has taught at Penn State Hazleton since 2003 and is an internationally recognized scholar on the Holocaust and human rights education. His current research focuses on the intersection of historical violence, communication and the role of education in promoting remembrance and resilience.

He is the author of "Holocaust and Human Rights Education" and the author and editor of "The Holocaust: Remembrance, Respect, and Resilience," an open educational resource used by students and educators. His work has been published widely in sociology and public health journals and has been supported by grants from public and private organizations, including the National Institutes of Health.

Polgar earned his doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and holds degrees from Virginia Tech and Wesleyan University. At Penn State Hazleton, he teaches sociology and Holocaust studies courses, including "The Holocaust and Human Rights" and "The Holocaust in Film and Literature."

In addition to his teaching and research, Polgar has served in several leadership roles on campus, including coordinating the honors program and chairing the Faculty Senate.