International Terrorism

This course examines the principal issues associated with modern international terrorism and efforts to counter it. The objective of the course is to provide the student with a broad understanding of international terrorism, and to enhance the ability to engage knowledgeably in discussion and debate on the subject. The course considers a wide range of questions in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of the threat of terrorism today. Among the questions it examines are: How has terrorism evolved over time as a mode of political violence? What are the defining features of modern terrorism, including ideological principles, political motivations and organisational structure? What are the challenges associated with modern counter-terroism responses? Specifically, the course will analyse both terrorism’s effectiveness as a means to achieve political change and the challenges faced by the liberal democratic state in responding to domestic and/or international terrorist campaigns.