Topics in Security Studies ((3-4 Credits))

Catalog description

This course provides an overview of two important topics in the security studies: terrorism and counterterrorism. It is divided into three main thematic parts. The first part of the course examines terrorism. We will delve into issues such as: the definition of terrorism, its history and roots, terrorist groups and their structure, states and their relations with terrorism, and how and why some people choose terrorism. In the second part, we will study elements of counterterrorist policies such as diplomacy, criminal law, financial control, covert operations, and military force. We will juxtapose military and nonmilitary force as counterterrorist strategies trying to understand if one is more successful than others depending on contexts. The third part focuses on media and public. Media and public are important elements when studying terrorism, because they are one of the main intermediary targets of terrorism.