| CODE | IRL2058 | ||||||
| TITLE | Terror: Ideas and Realities | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | International Relations | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Terrorism features prominently in International news headlines, giving rise to a spate of emotions. In this unit, students explore the rise of the phenomenon and the various attempts at definition; investigate theories that try to explain it; analyse its causes; and delve into various case studies of individual terrorist groups. Apart from the traditional view of dissenting terrorist factions, the unit will also look at lone wolf terrorism and state terror. The unit departs from a historical perspective, constantly comparing and contrasting with modern phenomena, thereby providing an overarching view. Study-Unit Aims: - To offer students insights into the history and evolution of terrorism and political violence; - To explore various theories of the causes of terrorism; - To highlight the various strategies adopted by terrorist groups throughout history; - To make students aware about the main terrorist groups, their aims and strategies; - To underscore the concepts of recruitment and radicalisation; - To view counter terrorist measures adopted throughout history. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - describethe central concepts relevant to terrorism; - trace the evolution of activities related to terrorism throughout history, including state terror; - compare and contrast the changing strategies adopted by terrorist groups in the 20th and 21st century; - proceed with greater ease in the study of conterterrorist strategies and their consequences; - identify common elements that foster and encourage the birth of terrorist groups. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Specific: - produce a coherent paper demonstrating their grasp of the changing definitions of terrorsm and coutnerterrorsim; - show an understanding of the causes and the strategies adopted as coutnerterrorist measures by presenting and substantiating arguments relevant to the theme. Generic: - engage in informed discussions that posit this course within the larger framework of world politics; - engage critically with the subject in order to evaluate and interpret historical events described as 'acts of terror' in a detached and academic manner, and likewise consider counter terrorist measures taken. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Simson David, States of Terror. History, Theory, Literature, (Chicago-London, University of Chicago, 2019). - Routledge Handbook of Terrorism and Counterterrorsim, Andrew Silke, (ed.), (Abingdon, Routledge, 2020). - Critical Terrorism Studies. A New Research Agenda, R. Jackson, M.B. Smyth and J. Gunning (eds), (Abingdon, Routledge, 2009). - The Cambridge History of Terrorism. Richard English (ed), Cambridge, University of Cambridge, 2021). Supplementary Readings: - Wellman Carl, Terrorism and Counterterrorsm. A Moral Assessment, (New York, Springer, 2013). - Terrorism. From Antiquity to Al Qaeda, G. Chailiand, A. Blin (eds), (Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, University of California Press, 2007). - Gill, P. Lone-actor terrorists: a behavioural analysis, (Abingdon, New York, Routledge, 2015). - Jeffrey D. Simon, 'The Forgotten Terrorists: Lessons from the History of Terrorism', Terror and Plitical Violence, xx, 2, (2008) 195-214. - Tom Parker and Nick Sitter, 'The Four Horsemen of Terrorism: It's Not Waves, It's Strains, Terrorism and Political Violence, xxviii, 2, (2016) 197-216. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Adrian Scerri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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