Course Contents

 Terrorism-Meaning/Cause/Categories  Approaches of Terrorism: Instrumental, Organizational, Rational, Sociological  Terrorism, Insurgency and Militancy and International Terrorism  Tactics of Terrorism  Terrorist Organizations: Structure and Functions  Case Studies  War on Terrorism  Counter-Terrorism: Measures and Strategies  Case study for Counter-Terrorism

Course Synopsis

 Course Description This course introduces students to the study of terrorism as a political act. We discuss the difference between state and oppositional terror, but the bulk, of course, focuses on terror by Non-State actors. We will compare different theories that attempt to explain why, how and when the opposition uses terror tactics to pursue their goals. Different research strategies of studying terrorism will be considered throughout with emphasizing place on developing a project related to increasing scholarly understanding of terrorism. This course focuses less on substantive examples of terrorism than on theories that can help explain terrorism. Exposure to these theories serves as a basis for future courses on this topic as well as other courses dealing with violence. We conclude by examining the ways that state counter-terror, and the choices and the tradeoff states face when confronting terrorism.