Terror and terrorism have been prominent features of Western political culture since the French Revolution. For the most part, modern terrorism is of European origin, and the ideas, goals, and methods of European terrorists have inspired terrorists in non-Western nations.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the ideology, motivation, and methods of numerous terrorist groups of the last two centuries to provide a basis for understanding contemporary terrorist organizations. Specifically, we will address the terror of the French Revolution, anarchism and revolutionary terrorism in 19th century Europe, terrorism in Latin America, European domestic terrorism in the 1960s and 1970s, national liberation and separatist movements, Middle Eastern terrorism, and the impact of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.

Prerequisites:  None