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Communicating Terrorism: Comm3676W

Citizenship, Ethics Themes, International Perspectives, Writing Intensive

Course Description:

Terrorism is an international problem. With the end of the Cold War, it is one of the few sources of our awareness that we live in an international world, vulnerable to some extent to the pressures of that world. Different cultures have created different historical trajectories for terrorism; to illustrate this, the course contrasts Algerian, Irish, and Arab terrorism. From these examples, we can see that terrorism is about the thinking of political destiny in terms of violence, about legitimizing violence as an instrument of politics by those who feel they have been deprived of justice by the violence of the state.    Four books will be read: Frantz Fanon's, The Wretched of the Earth, a philosophical and psychological rationale against colonialism and neo-colonialism, Walter Laqueur’s anthology of terrorist pronouncements, Voices of Terror, Fouad Ajami's The Arab Predicament and Deaglán de Bréadún's The Far Side of Revenge, his analysis of the negotiations that led to the end of the armed struggle in Northern Ireland. We will also view the films, The Battle of Algiers, and Mikhad: Into the Mind of a Terrorist, an interview with a Hamas terrorist made for Israeli television, One day in September, about terrorism atthe Munich Olympics, and End Game in Ireland, a documentary of the Irish Peace Process. In all these cases we will examine the arguments for terrorism. We will also look at a case in which the problem of terrorism is seemingly intractable--the middle East. We will see why it is so.Then we will look at a case in which the problem of terrorism has been solved –Ireland. We will see why it is so. Finally, we will look at terrorism in the Americas and around the world. Students will have an opportunity to grapple with these issues in discussion and to reflect on their implications. Reflection will also be promoted because this course is Writing Intensive. Four short essays will give the students an opportunity to reflect on issues brought up by each of the books that are read.

Books for the Course

• Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth. New York: Grove Press, 2004.8021-4132-3
• Fouad Ajami, The Arab Predicment. Cambidge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 0-521-43833-0
• Deaglán de Bréadún, The Far Side of Revenge: Making Peace in Northern Ireland. New Edition. West Link Park, Cork, 2008. 978-1-905172
• Walter Laqueur, ed., Voices of Terror: Manifestos, Writings and Manuals of AlQueda, Hamas, and other Terrorists from Around the World and Throughout the Ages. New York: Reed Press, 2004. 1-59429-035-0

Syllabus

The Algerian Example: Arguing Against Colonialism

• Week 1. Algeria and the Theory of Terrorism. Fanon 35-106.  View “Franz Fanon.”
• Week 2. Frantz Fanon and Karl Marx. Fanon 107-147. View The Battle of Algiers.
• Week 3.National Culture and National Consciousness. Fanon 148-248. View Battle of Algiers.
• Week 4. Reflecting on Ethical Issues in the Algerian Case. Voices, Algeria, 439-50.Violence 57-67, 71-75, 94-99, 104-112, 117-121, 131-35, 138-43, 153-56, 181-85.

Arguing for Terrorism: Algeria, Guerilla Warfare, Radical Islam                 

• Week 5. Voices, Guerilla Warfare, 230-34, 243-44, 276-80, 289-93, 303-06, 311-16. View Trail of a Terrorist.
• Week 6. Voices. Radical Islam. 149-52, 391-425, 434-38.View One Day in September. 

The Troubled Middle East: Is There a Solution?

• Week 7. The Arab Predicament: Israel and the Arab World. Ajami, 1-28. View Battle for the Holy Land.
• Week 8. The Arab Predicament: Is Radical Political and Social Change Possible? Ajami, 29-87. View Shaheed: The Making of a Suicide Bomber.
• Week 9. Egypt as State and as Arab Mirror. Ajami, 89-167. View Mikdad: Diary of a Terrorist.
• Week 10. Reflect on ethical issues Middle Eastern terrorism raises. Read Ajami 170-252.

The Irish Example: A Solution to Terrorism

• Week 11. . de Bréadún, Chapters 1-4. View Endgame in Ireland.Week 12. de Bréadún, Chapters 5-8. View Endgame in Ireland.
• Week 13. de Bréadún, Chapters 9-12. View Endgame in Ireland.
• Week 14. Reflect on the ethical issues Irish terrorism raises. View Endgame in Ireland and read de Bréadún, Chapters 13-15.

Terrorism Around the World?

• Week 15. What sort of threat is world terrorism? In the Americas? Voices, 163-65, 360-83; the world, Voices, 451-520.

Grading and Attendance Policy

      Attendance will be taken and only three class absences will be permitted.

     There will be four essays, one for each of the books in the course. The first two essays will be 500 words and worth 20 points each; the second two essays will be 750 words and worth 30 points each. The students will be required to revise the first essay, based on instructor comments. On the first essay, students will receive the revised grade.

   In each case, students will receive ahead of time a model essay on a topic parallel to the actual essay. The model will be discussed in class.   To see model essays click on choices below.

Fanon Model Essay        Laqueur Model Essay

    Ajami Model Essay                     de Bréadún Model_Essay