Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Terror, Threat and Security
School	School of Social Policy
Department	Soc Policy, Sociology & Crimin
Module Code	08 30187
Module Lead	Chris Allen
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-40 hours Guided independent study-160 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module will provide students with an opportunity to critically explore a range of politically salient issues relating to terror, threat and security. Noting the contested nature of how we seek to define terrorism, the module will focus on modern terrorism and the use of terrorist violence to critically consider a range of key concepts and relevant theories including securitisation and governmentality as also extremism and radicalisation among others. In doing so, consideration will be given to how governments devise and implement appropriate counter-terror policies and approaches as a means of evaluating their effectiveness. The impacts of these will also be explored focusing on notions of suspect communities, social harm, exclusion and marginalisation. From here, students will consider a number of emergent and overarching questions through the lens of a series of case studies to include: terrorist actions perpetrated by state actors; the ‘war on terror’ post-9/11; ethno-nationalist terrorism underpinning conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians and in Northern Ireland; far-right groups and ‘lone wolf’ terrorism; revolutionary left-wing movements; Islamist-inspired terrorism focusing on Islamic State and its activities in both the Middle East and Europe; policing and Project Champion; groups and activists inspired by environmental and vivisection issues; and the role of the media and how it relates to and represents matters of terror, threat and security.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Construct a critical account of the contested nature of how terrorism is understood and defined in the contemporary setting Appraise various policy and legislative approaches relating to counter-terror and security as also extremism and radicalisation Apply a range of key concepts and theories to the critical investigation of particular examples of modern terrorism and the use of terrorist violence
Assessment	30187-01 : Word Essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	3500 word essay for both main and reassessment (100%)
Other
Reading List