Course Syllabus

Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism from a European Perspective A

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Semester & Location:

Spring 2018 - DIS Copenhagen

Type & Credits:

Core Course - 3 credits

Core Course Study Tours:

Hamburg, Germany, Oslo, Norway and London, England

Major Disciplines:

International Relations, Political Science

Faculty Members:

Jesper Lohmann

Program Director:

Neringa B. Vendelbo - nb@dis.dk

Time & Place:

Monday & Thursday, 10.05 - 11.25, ST3-22

 

Description of course:

Terrorism and counter-terrorism have been on everybody’s mind since 9/11. However, terrorism didn’t just appear out of the blue on that horrifying September day. This course is a study of terrorism - its causes, aims, and forms - and of counter-terrorism measures introduced by the international community and individual states. The course examines the implications of terrorism for international politics in the 21st century.

In order to better understand the concept and phenomenon of terrorism and the attempts to fight it, we will look at some of the many terrorist attacks and attempts to deal with terrorism from a European perspective.
It is both relevant and important to study terrorism from a European perspective, because (unfortunately) several European countries have a very long history of dealing with terrorism (e.g. Northern Ireland (IRA), Spain (ETA), Italy (Red Brigades), Germany (Red Army Faction), Russia (The People’s Will and The Black Widows)). This perspective will allow us to gain better insight as to why terrorism occurs, how terrorists organize and operate, and what some of the consequences are of reacting in different ways to terrorism.

Learning objectives of the course:

By the end of this course students will be able to better understand why terrorism occurs, how terrorists organize and operate, and what some of the consequences are of reacting in different ways to terrorism.

Instructor:

Jesper Lohmann

Cand.Mag. (MA) in History of Ideas (University of Aarhus, 2002). With DIS since 2009.

Readings:

Adam Dolnik, ”13 Years since Tokyo: Re-visiting the ”superterrorism” Debate”, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. II, 2008

http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/articles/issues/PTv2i2.pdf

 Ami Pedahzur and Magnus Ranstorp: ”A tertiary model for countering terrorism in liberal democracies: The case of Israel”, in John Horgan and Kurt Braddock, ed., Terrorism Studies: A Reader (Routledge 2012), pp. 313-330

Audrey Kurth Cronin, “Why Drones Fail: When Tactics Drive Strategy”, Foreign Affairs July/August (2013)

Brigitte L. Nacos, ”Terrorist Propaganda and the Media”, in  Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding Threats and Responses in the Post-9/11 World (Pearson, 2nd ed. 2007), pp. 221-240

Brigitte L. Nacos, ”Anti- and Counterterrorism in the News”, in  Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding Threats and Responses in the Post-9/11 World (Pearson, 2nd ed. 2007), pp. 257-271

Bruce Hoffman, “Radicalization and Subversion: Al Qaeda and the 7 July 2005 Bombings and the 2006 Airline Bombing Plot”, in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, #32 2009, pp. 1100-1116

Christopher Coker, “Asymmetrical Warfare: Ends or Means?”, in John Olsen, ed., Asymmetric Warfare (Oslo: Norwegian Air Force Academy 2002), pp. 319-340.

Daniel Byman, “Why Drones Work: The Case for Washington’s Weapon of Choice”, Foreign Affairs July/August (2013)

David Cole: ”Confronting the Wizard of Oz: National Security, Expertise, and Secrecy”, in Connecticut Law Review, Vol. 44, July 2012 #5, pp. 1618-1625, http://connecticutlawreview.org/files/2012/09/7.Cole-FINAL.pdf

David Lyon: ”Introduction”, in Surveillance after September 11 (Polity 2003), pp. 1-12

Dean Obeidallah, “Are all Terrorists Muslims? It’s not even close”, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/14/are-all-terrorists-muslims-it-s-not-even-close.html

Gus Martin, ”Violent Ideologies: Terrorism from the Left and the Right”, in Understanding Terrorism: Challenges Perspectives, and Issues (Sage 4th ed., 2013) , pp. 192-243

Gus Martin, ”Violence in the Name of Faith: Religious Terrorism”, in Understanding Terrorism: Challenges Perspectives, and Issues (Sage 4th ed., 2013) , pp. 158-191

Gus Martin,”Violent Ideologies: Terrorism from the Left and the Right”, in Understanding Terrorism: Challenges Perspectives, and Issues (Sage 4th ed., 2013) , pp. 192-243

Isabelle Duyvesteyn, “The Role of History and Continuity in Terrorism Research”, in Magnus Ranstorp, ed., Mapping Terrorism Research (London: Routledge 2007)

J Smith and André Moncourt: The Red Army Faction: A Documentary History, vol. 2, chapter 1 “Previously on Red Army Faction” (Montreal, Kersplebedeb 2013), pp. 1-48,

Jeffrey Addicott, ”YES, The truth about American state interrogation techniques, torture and the ticking time-bomb terrorist”, in Richard Jackson and Samuel Justin Sinclair, ed., Contemporary Debates on Terrorism (Routledge 2012), pp. 152-158

Jon Elster, “Motivations and Beliefs in Suicide Missions”, in Diego Ambetta, ed., Making Sense of Suicide Missions (Oxford: OUP 2005), pp. 233-258

Lars Erik Berntzen & Sveinung Sandberg, ”The Collective Nature of Lone Wolf Terrorism: Anders Behring Breivik and the Anti-Islamic Social Movement”, Terrorism and Political Violence, 0:1-21, 2014, http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/jus/ikrs/KRIM2952/h14/timeplan/collective_nature_lonewolf_terrorism.pdf

Lipman Report: “The Rising Tide of Cyberwarfare: Cyberterrorism and Cybercrime in a Climate of Heightened Global Risk and Economic Instability”, September 2009

Peter H. Merkl, ”West German Left-Wing Terrorism”, in Martha Crenshaw, ed., Terrorism in Context (Pennsylvania, PUP 1995/2007), pp. 160-210

Philip Heymann, Terrorism, Freedom and Security – Winning Without War (MIT Press 2003), pp. 158-179

Richard Jackson, Lee Jarvis, Jeroen Gunning, Marie Breen-Smyth, ”Conceptualizing Terrorism”, in Terrorism: A Critical Introduction (Palgrave 2011), pp. 99-123

Robert Becher, ”NO, Why torture is wrong”, in Richard Jackson and Samuel Justin Sinclair, ed., Contemporary Debates on Terrorism (Routledge 2012), pp. 159-164

Ted Gurr, Why Men Rebel, (Princeton, NJ: PUP 1970), pp. 155-192

Field Studies

  • Wednesday, 28 February, 8.30-12.30 Tour in Mjølnerparken with local guides. (To be Confirmed)
  • Wednesday, 4 April, 13.00-17.00 "The Distant War" at Tøjhusmuseet (To be Confirmed)

Approach to Teaching

This course will be a combination of lectures and a discussion-based course.

Expectations of the students

Since it will partly be a discussion-based course, it demands a high degree of student participation and engagement. Throughout the course, you will also have to develop and practice your own critical thinking by analyzing texts, concepts as well as specific cases to understand the complexity of the field of terrorism. Furthermore, you will have to give a presentation on a relevant topic as well as write a short paper.

Study Tour to Hamburg, Oslo and London to look at respectively Red Army Faction and left wing terrorism, Breivik and right wing terrorism, and the 7/7 2005 bombings and so-called religious terrorism.

Core Course Week and Study Tours

Core Course week and study tours are an integral part of the core course as we take the classroom on the road and see how theory presented in the classroom is translated into practice in the field. You will travel with your classmates and DIS faculty/staff on two study tours; a short study tour during Core Course Week to Hamburg and a long study tour to Oslo/ London (5 to 10 March).

 Expectations for study tours:

  • Participate in all activities
  • Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives
  • Respect the destination, the speakers, DIS staff, and your fellow classmates
  • Represent yourself, your home university and DIS in a positive light

 While on a program study tour DIS will provide hostel/hotel accommodation, transportation to/from the destination(s), approx. 2 meals per day and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study or the destination. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.

 Travel policies:

You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office.   

 Grading and Evaluation:    

Assignment

Percent

Participation and Engagement

35%

 

Study Tour Participation and Engagement

15%

 

Study Tour Assignments, Paper, and Interview/Presentation

5%+20%

Paper due 24 April (Hand in printed copy and submit a copy by e-mail) 

25%

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

Course Summary:

Date Details Due