Ami Pedahzur

Description:
The information age in which we live is moving fast. Only three decades ago few people used the Internet. Back then it was considered a slow and often unreliable mean for obtaining information. Two decades ago, the internet was already an integral part of our lives. However, we were not dependent on it. I used to travel abroad with my heavy laptop and pay a hefty fee to connect to the internet in hotel rooms only if I was waiting for an important email.  A decade ago, shortly after the introduction of the iPhone, many of us decided to wait and see if this new gadget delivers as promised. Today we often use the proverbial 'Disruptive Innovation'  to describe the many ways in which the smartphone has changed our lives.

As I witnessed these transformations, I couldn't help myself from asking how is it possible that so many academic courses, especially methodological ones, deliver the same contents that I studied as an undergraduate student in the 1990s.

I began my quest to find an answer to the question by following emerging trends in different professions. I soon realized that the world beyond the ivory tower is adapting fast. Lawyers, investment bankers, and journalists are only a few examples for professionals who regularly must alter how they fulfill their professional duties. As far as research is concerned, the academic community has begun to follow a similar path. In recent years we face an increasing demand for transparency and accuracy. Mistakes that in the past were forgivable are no longer accepted. As for teaching,  we still try to figure out how to prepare students to a world that is likely to change again by the time they graduate.  

Many believe that the liberal arts will not survive the information age and therefore recommend that students focus on science and technology. I disagree. The most critical skills that students should develop these days are resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity. For centuries, the liberal arts equipped students with these invaluable skills. The objective of this class is to cultivate these abilities further.

Borrowing from the Tech world, we will use the term 'Dynamic Workflows' to explore alternative methods to:

1. Obtain multiple types of data - structured and unstructured.

2. Assess the quality of the data using probabilistic methods.

3. Work with version control tools to meet standards of transparency and accuracy.

4. Creating dynamic databases.

5. Integrating analytical tools.

6. Visualize and share our work.

Required Texts/Readings (tentative sample):

Gardiner, Eileen, and Ronald G. Musto. 2015. The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars. Cambridge University Press.

Bazeley, Patricia, and Kristi Jackson. 2013. Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo. Sage Publications Limited.

Saldana, Johnny. 2015. The Coding Manuel for Qualitative Researchers. SAGE.

Kabacoff, Robert. 2015. R in Action: Data Analysis and Graphics with R. Greenwich, CT, USA ­ Manning Publications Co.

Assignments:
Research Paper 30%

Presentation of Research Material 20%

Participation 20%

Weekly Assignments 30%

Biography: Ami Pedahzur Professor, Ph.D., University of Haifa, Israel.  I am a Professor of Government and the Ralph W. Yarborough Centennial Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. My teaching and research focus on comparative politics, international relations and methods. I am mostly interested in questions that pertain to aspects of radicalism, political violence, and security in the Middle East. I tackle these issues using evolving methods and technologies.

SUICIDE TERRORISM GOV 365N (38809)

FALL 2018

Instructor AMI PEDAHZUR

Phone 512-232-1452

Email ami.pedahzur@gmail.com

1.    SUBJECT MATTER OF THE COURSE

Over the last decade and a half, suicide attacks turned from an obscure phenomenon that only a handful of scholars addressed into a focal theme in the research on political violence. The exhaustive research effort into the issue has generated hundreds of academic publications and ignited heated debates among scholars. In this course, we will follow the recent evolution of research in the field by drawing attention to some of these debates. We will begin by introducing the different challenges of conceptualizing the phenomenon and identify the respective theoretical implications of each response to the challenge. We will then discuss the main methodological issues that are associated with studying suicide attacks. In the remainder of the semester, we will discuss the various debates within this area of study.

• The overarching debate about the roles of culture and religion in facilitating suicide operations.
• The debates that persist among scholars who focus their study at the level of militant groups. In particular, we focus on the following questions: Do suicide attackers operate within organizations or networks? Is there a strategic logic behind suicide operations? If so, is it complemented by a political logic?
• We will address debates regarding the individual motivations of suicide attackers. We will begin with the dispute over the question of whether or not suicide attackers are suicidal.
• We will assess the extent to which economic and societal variables contribute to the decisions of individuals to kill themselves as a means of killing others.
• We will evaluate the advances that the scholarly community has made in understanding the phenomenon and delineate the questions that are yet to be answered.

2.    FORMAT AND PROCEDURES

This class meets twice a week for 1½ hour sessions. Please plan to arrive a few moments before class begins. Course lectures will build from the readings; they will not replace or reiterate them.

Students can expect to spend 2-3 hours reading for every hour of class. You are responsible for reading all of the assigned materials.

I strongly believe every student is capable of learning the material presented in this course, but the responsibility to make the required effort rests on you.

I would like to reward hard work and dedication, not just an ability to take tests. Therefore, the course is structured so that regular attendance of lectures, thoughtful reading of the text, active participation and assimilation of the concepts are a large part of what determines your grade.

3.    ASSIGNMENTS

Attendance (10%).

Active participation in class (20%).

First exam (35%)

Second exam (35%)

4.    GRADING

A 93−100 | A− 90−92 | B+ 87−89 | B 83−86 | B− 80−82 | C+ 77−79 | C 7 −76 | C− 70−72 | D+ 67−69 | D 63−66 | D− 60−62 | F <60

5.    TEXTS

Course materials will be accessible via canvas.

Over the last decade and a half, suicide attacks turned from an obscure phenomenon that only a handful of scholars addressed into a focal theme in the research on political violence. The exhaustive research effort into the issue has generated hundreds of academic publications and ignited heated debates among scholars. In this course, we will follow the recent evolution of research in the field by drawing attention to some of these debates. We will begin by introducing the different challenges of conceptualizing the phenomenon and identify the respective theoretical implications of each response to the challenge. 
We will then discuss the main methodological issues that are associated with studying suicide attacks. In the remainder of the semester we will discuss the various debates within this area of study.  First, we will address the overarching debate about the roles of culture and religion in facilitating suicide 
operations. 

Second, we will discuss the debates that persist among scholars who focus their study at the level of militant groups. In particular, we focus on the following questions: Do suicide attackers operate within organizations or networks? Is there a strategic logic behind suicide operations? If so, is it complemented by a political logic? 

Third, we will address debates regarding the individual motivations of suicide attackers. We will begin with the dispute over the question of whether or not suicide attackers are suicidal. 

Next, we will assess the extent to which economic and societal variables contribute to the decisions of individuals to kill themselves as a means of killing others. 

Finally, we will evaluate the advances that the scholarly community has made in understanding the phenomenon and delineate the questions that are yet to be answered.

Course Description:

The course will focus on the global rise of special operations forces since the dawn of the 20th century. We will explore the different explanations regarding the circumstances that facilitated their proliferation. In particular, we will explore four overlapping vectors. The rise of asymmetrical wars, continuous leaps in military technologies, increasing sensitivity to military casualties, and the professionalization of armed forces worldwide. We will draw on case studies from every major global conflict over the last 120 years.

Textbook:

We will rely mostly on articles.

Assignments:

Two take home exams each consists of three questions (each 40%).

Active participation in class (20%).

Prerequisites:

None.

Course Description:

Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use it was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many groups in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The fact that the majority of these groups were either Arab or Muslim led scholars to emphasize the role of Islam in the emergence and proliferation of the phenomenon. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the primordial cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon.

Grading Policy:

This course combines Quizzes, Exams, Participation, and Reading questions. The breakdown for the course is as follows:

I. Class attendance and active participation: 20% Class attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, your attendance at, and participation in, lectures are crucial to the success of this course.

II. Weekly Reading and Questions: 20% Course readings are a vital part of this class and should be completed prior to the class meeting listed on the syllabus. Each week you will be responsible for formulating an answer to a question based on that week’s readings. Your answer should be one to two double spaced pages and are due at the end of class every Thursday. I will grade your answers on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being excellent work and 0 being unacceptable.  These are designed as engaging and thought provoking questions to help you navigate the course and the exams. Please note: We do not accept late work.

III. Quizzes: (10% each for 20% total): There will be two quizzes given during the semester. These will cover some of the basic backgrounds and key foundational concepts that will be needed in order to proceed in the course. The format will be a combination of fill in the blank and multiple choice.

IV. Exams (20% each for 40% total): There will be two exams given during the semester. These will cover the larger conceptual and topical aspects of the course. They will incorporate the ideas we have learned through the lectures and readings and ask you to comment on the contemporary debates and issues in the study of suicide terrorism. The format will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.

Texts All the texts will be posted on Canvas.

Prerequisites:

None.

Course Description:

Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use it was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many groups in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The fact that the majority of these groups were either Arab or Muslim led scholars to emphasize the role of Islam in the emergence and proliferation of the phenomenon. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the primordial cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon.

Grading Policy:

This course combines Quizzes, Exams, Participation, and Reading questions. The breakdown for the course is as follows:

I. Class attendance and active participation: 20% Class attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, your attendance at, and participation in, lectures are crucial to the success of this course.

II. Weekly Reading and Questions: 20% Course readings are a vital part of this class and should be completed prior to the class meeting listed on the syllabus. Each week you will be responsible for formulating an answer to a question based on that week’s readings. Your answer should be one to two double spaced pages and are due at the end of class every Thursday. I will grade your answers on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being excellent work and 0 being unacceptable.  These are designed as engaging and thought provoking questions to help you navigate the course and the exams. Please note: We do not accept late work.

III. Quizzes: (10% each for 20% total): There will be two quizzes given during the semester. These will cover some of the basic backgrounds and key foundational concepts that will be needed in order to proceed in the course. The format will be a combination of fill in the blank and multiple choice.

IV. Exams (20% each for 40% total): There will be two exams given during the semester. These will cover the larger conceptual and topical aspects of the course. They will incorporate the ideas we have learned through the lectures and readings and ask you to comment on the contemporary debates and issues in the study of suicide terrorism. The format will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.

Texts All the texts will be posted on Canvas.

Topic 1 – CONCEPTS AND CONTEXT

Assaf Moghadam.  “Defining Suicide Terrorism” in Ami Pedahzur (ed.). Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism: The Globalization of Martyrdom. London: Routledge, 2006: 1-19.

Topic 2 - Culture

Raphael Israeli.  “Islamikaze  and  their  Significance”. Terrorism  and  Political Violence, Vol. 9 No. 3 (1997): pp. 96-121.

Mohammed Hafez. 2006.  “Dying To Be Martyrs: The Symbolic Dimension  of Suicide Terrorism”. In  Pedahzur  (ed.). Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism: The Globalization of Martyrdom. London: Routledge. 54-80.

Topic 3 - Psychological/Individual Approach

Lankford, Adam, and Nayab Hakim. "From Columbine to Palestine: A Comparative Analysis of Rampage Shooters in the United States and Volunteer Suicide Bombers in the Middle East." Aggression and Violent Behavior 16, no. 2 (2011): 98-107.

Topic 4 - The Strategic Approach

Robert A. Pape. “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism”. American Political Science Review, Vol. 97 No. 3 (2003): pp. 343-361

Assaf Moghadam.  “Suicide Terrorism, Occupation, and the Globalization of Martyrdom: A Critique of Dying to Win”. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Vol. 29 No. 8 (2006): pp. 707-729.

Horowitz, Michael. "Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism." [In English]. International Organization 64, no. 1 (Win 2010): 33-64.

Topic 5 - The Outbidding Thesis

Mia M. Bloom. “Palestinian Suicide Bombing: Public Support, Market Share, and Outbidding”. Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 119 No. 1  (2004): pp. 61-88

Robert  J. Brym and Bader Araj. “Palestinian Suicide Bombing Revisited: A Critique of the Outbidding Thesis”. Political Science Quarterly Vol. 123 No. 3 (Fall 2008): pp. 485-500.

Topic 6 - Communities

Ami Pedahzur, Arie Perliger and Leonard Weinberg. “Altruism and fatalism: The characteristics of Palestinian suicide terrorists”. Deviant Behavior, Vol. 24 No. 4 (2003): pp. 405-423.

Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger. “The Changing Nature of Suicide Attacks.” Social Forces, Vol. 84 No. 4 (2006): pp. 1983-2000.

Topic 7 - The road to 9/11

Assaf Moghadam.  “Motives for Martyrdom; Al-Qaida, Salafi Jihad, and the Spread of Suicide Attacks.” International Security (Winter 2008/2009).

Marc Sageman. 2006. In Pedahzur (ed.). “Islam and al-Qaeda” Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism: The Globalization of Martyrdom. London: Routledge. 122-131.

Topic 8 - The War on Terrorism and its Outcomes

Bruce Hoffman. 2008. “The Myth of Grass-Roots Terrorism: Why Osama bin Laden Still Matters” Foreign Affairs (87)3: 133-138.

Marc Sageman. “Does Osama Still Call the Shots? Debating al Qaeda’s Containment and Grass-roots Jihad” Foreign Affairs Vol. 87 No. 4 (2008): pp. 1-3.

Yoram Schweitzer. 2006. “Al Qaeda and the Global Epidemic of Suicide Attacks” in Ami Pedahzur, Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism. 132-151.

Topic 9 – The Consequences of Suicide Terrorism

Canetti-Nisim, Daphna. Mesch, Gustavo. Pedahzur, Ami. 2006. “Victimization from Terrorist Attacks: Randomness or Routine Activities?”. Terrorism and Political Violence. Vol. 18. No. 4. Pp. 485-501

Feniger, Yariv, and Ephraim Yuchtman-Yaar. "Risk Groups in Exposure to Terror: The Case of Israel's

Citizens." Social forces 88, no. 3 (Mar 2010): 1451-62.

Berrebi, Claude, and Esteban F. Klor. "Are Voters Sensitive to Terrorism? Direct Evidence from the Israeli Electorate." American Political Science Review 102, no. 03 (2008): 279-301.

Topic 10 - Counter-terrorism and Anti Terrorism

Perliger, Arie. Pedahzur, Ami. 2006. “Coping with Suicide Attacks: Lessons from Israel”. Public Money and Management. Vol. 26 No. 5. Pp. 281-286.   

Max Abrahms. “What Terrorists Really Want; Terrorist Motives and Counterterrorism Strategy.” International Security (Spring 2008).

Chenoweth, E., N. Miller, E. McClellan, H. Frisch, P. Staniland, and M. Abrahms. "What Makes Terrorists Tick." [In English]. International Security 33, no. 4 (Spr 2009): 180-86.

Topic 10 - The Future of Suicide Terrorism

Martha Crenshaw. “Explaining Suicide Terrorism: A review essay” Security Studies, Vol. 16 No. 1 (2007): pp. 133-162.

Audrey Kurth Cronin. “How al-Qaida Ends: The Decline and Demise of Terrorist Groups” International Security Vol. 31 No. 1 (Summer 2006): pp. 7-48.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE COURSE

In a survey conducted in the mid-1980s among scholars studying terrorism, Schmid et al. found that more than two-thirds of the respondents were of the view that theoretical progress in the field was very slow, and that existing theories suffered from a lack of applicability and a dearth of empirical support. These findings were an indication of the impression among scholars at that time, that after more than thirty years of research, the academic community was able to produce very few insights regarding terrorism and its features, causes and implications.

During the 1990s and especially since the beginning of the new millennium, a significant number of researchers from different disciplines have become more interested in terrorism. This increasing trend has been prompted by two main factors. First, in the wake of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York, a dramatic increase in the amount of resources was set aside by governmental and other bodies in various countries for unraveling the phenomenon of terrorism. Second, the last decade has been witness to a notable increase in the amount of accessible databases and empirical findings on terrorist attacks worldwide, which has made it feasible to undertake solid, empirical-based research relying on innovative methods.

GOALS

The goal of the seminar is to assess the current state of the field. We will use an interdisciplinary perspective and put emphasis on developing critical and innovative perspectives.  

EVALUATION

The final grade will be based on:

1)     Attendance and active participations in class discussions (10%) Receiving full grade for active participation requires work. I exercise discretion when assigning grades for active participation. I usually consider the following elements: class attendance, active participation in class discussions and the display of extra interest in the class and the materials.

2)     Leading a full session in class (40%)

3)     Take home final exam (50%).

Abrahms, M. (2008). "What terrorists really want." International Security 32(4): 78-+.

Argo, N. (2009). "Why Fight?: Examining Self-Interested Versus Communally-Oriented Motivations in Palestinian Resistance and Rebellion." Security Studies 18(4): 651 - 680.

Ashworth, S., J. D. Clinton, et al. (2008). "Design, inference, and the strategic logic of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 102(2): 269-273.

Berrebi, C. and E. F. Klor (2008). "Are voters sensitive to terrorism? Direct evidence from the Israeli electorate." American Political Science Review 102(3): 279-301.

Bloom, M., B. A. Thayer, et al. (2010). "Life Sciences and Islamic Suicide Terrorism." International Security 35(3): 185-192.

Bloom, M. M. (2004). "Palestinian suicide bombing: public support, market share, and outbidding." Political Science Quarterly 119(1): 61-88.

Brym, R. J. and B. Araj (2008). "Palestinian suicide bombing revisited: A critique of the outbidding thesis." Political Science Quarterly 123(3): 485-500.

Chenoweth, E., N. Miller, et al. (2009). "What Makes Terrorists Tick." International Security 33(4): 180-186.

Goodwin, J. (2006). "A theory of categorical terrorism." Social Forces 84(4): 2027-2046.

Horowitz, M. C. (2010). "Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism." International Organization 64(1): 33-64.

Jordan, J. (2009). "When Heads Roll: Assessing the Effectiveness of Leadership Decapitation." Security Studies 18(4): 719 - 755.

Krueger, A. B. and J. Maleckova (2003). "Education, poverty and terrorism: Is there a causal connection?" Journal of Economic Perspectives 17(4): 119-144.

O'Rourke, L. A. (2009). "What's Special about Female Suicide Terrorism?" Security Studies 18(4): 681 - 718.

Pape, R. A. (2003). "The strategic logic of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 97(3): 343-361.

Pape, R. A. (2008). "Methods and findings in the study of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 102(2): 275-277.

Thayer, B. A. and V. M. Hudson (2010). "Sex and the Shaheed Insights from the Life Sciences on Islamic Suicide Terrorism." International Security 34(4): 37-+.

Victoroff, J. (2005). "The mind of the terrorist - A review and critique of psychological approaches." Journal of Conflict Resolution 49(1): 3-42.

Prerequisites:

None

Course Description:

Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use this strategy was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many organizations in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The fact that the majority of these organizations were either Arab or Muslim led many scholars emphasize the role of Islam in suicide terrorism's emergence and spread. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon that will ultimately threaten the existence of all or most political regimes in the twenty-first century.

Grading Policy:

This course combines Quizzes, Exams, Participation, and Reading Questions to allow multiple opportunities to track your learning process. They are spread across the semester and the earlier assignment and test grades should be used as a guide—letting you know if you need to make adjustments in the amount of time you are dedicating to the class or if you need to explore different approaches to increase your performance.

The breakdown for the course is as follows:

I. Class attendance and active participation: 20%

Daily class attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, your attendance at, and participation in, lectures is crucial to the success of this course.

II. Weekly Reading and Questions: 20%

Course readings are a vital part of this class and should be completed prior to the class meeting listed on the syllabus. Each week you will be responsible for formulating an answer to a question based on that week’s readings. Your answer should be one to two double spaced pages and are due at the end of class every Thursday. I will grade your answers on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being excellent work and 0 being unacceptable. These are designed as engaging and thought provoking questions to help you navigate the course and the exams. Please note: We do not accept late work.

III. Quizzes: (10% each for 20% total)

There will be two quizzes given during the semester. These will cover some of the basic background and key foundational concepts that will be needed in order to proceed in the course. The format will be a combination of fill in the blank and multiple choice.

IV. Exams (20% each for 40% total):

There will be two exams given during the semester. These will cover the larger conceptual and topical aspects of the course. They will incorporate the ideas we have learned through the lectures and readings and ask you to comment on the contemporary debates and issues in the study of suicide terrorism. The format will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.

Texts:

No textbook. Readings will be posted on Blackboard.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Course Description

Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use this strategy was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many organizations in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The fact that the majority of these organizations were either Arab or Muslim led many scholars emphasize the role of Islam in suicide terrorism's emergence and spread. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon that will ultimately threaten the existence of all or most political regimes in the twenty-first century.

Format and Procedures

This class meets twice a week for 1½ hour each session. Please plan to arrive a few moments before class begins. Course lectures will build from the readings; they will not replace or reiterate them. Students can expect to spend 2-3 hours reading/writing for every hour of class. You are responsible for reading all of the assigned material.

We strongly believe every student is capable of learning the material presented in this course, but the responsibility to make the required effort rests on you. We want to reward hard work and dedication, not just an ability to take tests. Therefore, the course is structured so that regular attendance of lectures, thoughtful reading of the text, responses to posed questions, and assimilation of the concepts are a large part of what determines your grade.

Grading Policy

This course combines Quizzes, Exams, Participation, and Reading Questions to allow multiple opportunities to track your learning process. They are spread across the semester and the earlier assignment and test grades should be used as a guide—letting you know if you need to make adjustments in the amount of time you are dedicating to the class or if you need to explore different approaches to increase your performance. The breakdown for the course is as follows:

I. Class attendance and active participation: 20%

Daily class attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, your attendance at, and participation in, lectures is crucial to the success of this course.

II. Weekly Reading and Questions: 20%

Course readings are a vital part of this class and should be completed prior to the class meeting listed on the syllabus. Each week you will be responsible for formulating an answer to a question based on that week’s readings. Your answer should be one to two double spaced pages and are due at the end of class every Thursday. I will grade your answers on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being excellent work and 0 being unacceptable. These are designed as engaging and thought provoking questions to help you navigate the course and the exams. Please note: We do not accept late work.

III. Quizzes: (10% each for 20% total):

There will be two quizzes given during the semester. These will cover some of the basic background and key foundational concepts that will be needed in order to proceed in the course. The format will be a combination of fill in the blank and multiple choice.

IV. Exams (20% each for 40% total):

There will be two exams given during the semester. These will cover the larger conceptual and topical aspects of the course. They will incorporate the ideas we have learned through the lectures and readings and ask you to comment on the contemporary debates and issues in the study of suicide terrorism. The format will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.

Required Readings

All the readings for the course will be available on Blackboard under Course Documents. It is your responsibility to download and/or print them for your use.

Course Description

The 20th century was tainted by two world wars and many other conflicts which varied by their degrees of intensity.That century also witnessed the rapid evolution of military technologies, the exponential growth of armed forces worldwide and the development of new doctrines and strategies. In this seminar we will explore the changes in the nature of conflicts and militaries over the last 120 years.We will utilize theories from the fields of international relations, public policy, political psychology, political geography and political economy to explain those changes. The seminar will focus mainly on the wars in the Middle East. However, we will also devote a significant degree of attention to the two world wars, the cold war, the war in Algeria, the Vietnam War, the Falkland war and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Goals:

The goal of the seminar is to assess the current state of the research in the field. We will assume an interdisciplinary perspective and put emphasis on developing critical and innovative perspectives. 

Grading Policy 

The final grade will be based on:

1) Attendance and active participations in class discussions (10%) Receiving full grade for active participation requires work. I exercise discretion when assigning grades for active participation. I usually consider the following elements: class attendance, active participation in discussions and the display of extra interest in the course.

2) Leading a full session in class (40%)

3) Take home final exam (50%).

Texts

No textbook. 

Course Description

Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use this strategy was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many organizations in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The fact that the majority of these organizations were either Arab or Muslim led many scholars emphasize the role of Islam in suicide terrorism's emergence and spread. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon that will ultimately threaten the existence of all or most political regimes in the twenty-first century.

Grading Policy

This course combines Quizzes, Exams, Participation, and Reading Questions to allow multiple opportunities to track your learning process. They are spread across the semester and the earlier assignment and test grades should be used as a guide—letting you know if you need to make adjustments in the amount of time you are dedicating to the class or if you need to explore different approaches to increase your performance.

The breakdown for the course is as follows:

I. Class attendance and active participation: 20%

Daily class attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, your attendance at, and participation in, lectures is crucial to the success of this course.

II. Weekly Reading and Questions: 20% 

Course readings are a vital part of this class and should be completed prior to the class meeting listed on the syllabus. Each week you will be responsible for formulating an answer to a question based on that week’s readings. Your answer should be one to two double spaced pages and are due at the end of class every Thursday. I will grade your answers on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being excellent work and 0 being unacceptable. These are designed as engaging and thought provoking questions to help you navigate the course and the exams. Please note: We do not accept late work.

III. Quizzes: (10% each for 20% total) 

There will be two quizzes given during the semester. These will cover some of the basic background and key foundational concepts that will be needed in order to proceed in the course. The format will be a combination of fill in the blank and multiple choice.

IV. Exams (20% each for 40% total): 

There will be two exams given during the semester. These will cover the larger conceptual and topical aspects of the course. They will incorporate the ideas we have learned through the lectures and readings and ask you to comment on the contemporary debates and issues in the study of suicide terrorism. The format will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions.

Texts

No textbook. Readings will be posted on Blackboard.

For Syllabus: Contact professor - he posted it online elsewhere.

In a survey conducted in the mid-1980s among scholars studying terrorism, Schmid et al. found that more than two-thirds of the respondents were of the view that theoretical progress in the field was very slow, and that existing theories suffered from a lack of applicability and a dearth of empirical support. These findings were an indication of the impression among scholars at that time, that after more than thirty years of research, the academic community was able to produce very few insights regarding terrorism and its features, causes and implications. During the 1990s and especially since the beginning of the new millennium, a significant number of researchers from different disciplines have become more interested in terrorism. This increasing trend has been prompted by two main factors. First, in the wake of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York, a dramatic increase in the amount of resources was set aside by governmental and other bodies in various countries for unraveling the phenomenon of terrorism. Second, the last decade has been witness to a notable increase in the amount of accessible databases and empirical findings on terrorist attacks worldwide, which has made it feasible to undertake solid, empirical-based research relying on innovative methods.

EVALUATION

The final grade will be based on:

1)Attendance and active participations in class discussions (10%) Receiving full grade for active participation requires work. I exercise discretion when assigning grades for active participation. I usually consider the following elements: class attendance, active participation in class discussions and the display of extra interest in the class and the materials.

2)Leading a full session in class (40%)

3)Take home final exam (50%).

TEXTS

Abrahms, M. (2008). "What terrorists really want." International Security 32(4): 78-+.

Argo, N. (2009). "Why Fight?: Examining Self-Interested Versus Communally-Oriented Motivations in Palestinian Resistance and Rebellion." Security Studies 18(4): 651 - 680.

Ashworth, S., J. D. Clinton, et al. (2008). "Design, inference, and the strategic logic of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 102(2): 269-273.

Berrebi, C. and E. F. Klor (2008). "Are voters sensitive to terrorism? Direct evidence from the Israeli electorate." American Political Science Review 102(3): 279-301.

Bloom, M., B. A. Thayer, et al. (2010). "Life Sciences and Islamic Suicide Terrorism." International Security 35(3): 185-192.

Bloom, M. M. (2004). "Palestinian suicide bombing: public support, market share, and outbidding." Political Science Quarterly 119(1): 61-88.

Brym, R. J. and B. Araj (2008). "Palestinian suicide bombing revisited: A critique of the outbidding thesis." Political Science Quarterly 123(3): 485-500.

Chenoweth, E., N. Miller, et al. (2009). "What Makes Terrorists Tick." International Security 33(4): 180-186.

Goodwin, J. (2006). "A theory of categorical terrorism." Social Forces 84(4): 2027-2046.

Horowitz, M. C. (2010). "Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism."International Organization 64(1): 33-64.

Jordan, J. (2009). "When Heads Roll: Assessing the Effectiveness of Leadership Decapitation." Security Studies 18(4): 719 - 755.

Krueger, A. B. and J. Maleckova (2003). "Education, poverty and terrorism: Is there a causal connection?" Journal of Economic Perspectives 17(4): 119-144.

O'Rourke, L. A. (2009). "What's Special about Female Suicide Terrorism?" Security Studies 18(4): 681 - 718.

Pape, R. A. (2003). "The strategic logic of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 97(3): 343-361.

Pape, R. A. (2008). "Methods and findings in the study of suicide terrorism." American Political Science Review 102(2): 275-277.

Thayer, B. A. and V. M. Hudson (2010). "Sex and the Shaheed Insights from the Life Sciences on Islamic Suicide Terrorism." International Security 34(4): 37-+.

Victoroff, J. (2005). "The mind of the terrorist - A review and critique of psychological approaches." Journal of Conflict Resolution 49(1): 3-42.

In recent years, the State of Israel has experienced a series of severe political crises which have left their mark on the ability of the Israeli government to continue to function efficiently. There are a number of salient reasons for this. For example, the lack of a constitution, the absence of a democratic tradition among the adult population and the lack of an ethical and normative consensus regarding the state's character. Temporary factors may professionalism of some of the current policy makers. The course will investigate these issues with emphasis on the behavior of principal actors in Israeli society and politics. We will discuss the reciprocal relations between the three main governmental authorities in Israel and their influence on the electoral system as well as the public's involvement in politics. We will then analyze the main political divisions in Israel and inter-party politics, the formation of governmental coalitions and how these are maintained, and implementation of public policy. The way these topics are integrated and formulate modern Israeli politics will be discussed, and the representative character and stability of Israeli democracy will be evaluated.

Course Number: TC 357Title: Terrorism: Guerrilla and Insurgency

Semester: Fall 2011

Instructor: Ami Pedahzur, Professor, Department of Government,

College of Liberal ArtsDescription:In recent years, especially since the 9/11 attacks on the US, many scholars have contended that terrorism has become the most prominent challenge for International security. In this class we will question this argument. First we will distinguish terrorism form guerrilla and other types of insurgencies. Then we will critically look into the conventional theories for the root causes of terrorism offered by political scientists, economists, psychologists and sociologists. Finally, we will address the question of coping with terrorism as well as other types of politically motivated attacks.The course will have a theoretical orientation and will offer both qualitative and quantitative approaches to study the phenomena.

See syllabus

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Course Description:
Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the early 1980s. The first organization to use this strategy was the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. Later, it was adopted by many organizations in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. The fact that the majority of these organizations were either Arab or Muslim led many scholars emphasize the role of Islam in suicide terrorism's emergence and spread. The general purpose of the class is to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite, community, and rank-and-file levels. It will juxtapose the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism, which is represented by the cultural approach, with coercion theories, power struggle explanations, and social networks approach. It will also address the perplexing question of whether suicide terrorism is an unbeatable weapon that will ultimately threaten the existence of all or most political regimes in the twenty-first century.

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