HNUH268K

After World War II, the world experienced an upsurge of terrorism. In fact, most adults today have lived for a time under the threat of terrorism. And an unlucky few have experienced it directly. What is terrorism? How does it fit into the patterns of inter-personal violence? Is it war? Is it a crime? Neither? Have counter-terrorism efforts of major nations, especially HRT's, enhanced interrogation and torture, reduced terrorism? In this course, students read and watch a variety of critical and media studies that, taken together, provide a wide and in some cases in-depth survey of modern terrorism. They will learn causes and consequences of terrorism in different settings--including Western Europe and the Americas--but with a particular emphasis on Middle Eastern terrorism since the 1960s. This examination of the nature of terrorism challenges students to think critically about the historic context and ongoing presence in our world of violence, especially as directed against civilians.