POLITICS 346: Terrorism
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Well-being always comes first We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. |
POLITICS 346: Terrorism
SEMESTER 2, 2020
15 points
Course coordinator and lecturer:
Dr Fabio Scarpello
Lecturer in Politics and International Relations
Faculty of Arts
Email: fabio.scarpello@auckland.ac.nz
Room: 201E 507
Phone: +64 9 923 5691
https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/fabio-scarpello
Office Hours: Thursday 10-00 – 12-00
Teaching assistant:
Logan Carmichael
Graduate Masters in Conflict and Terrorism Studies
Email: logan.carmichael@auckland.ac.nz
Office Hours: Tuesday 13-00 - 14-00 room 528, HSB building.
Please email Dr Fabio Scarpello if you require an extension for your assignments. Email Logan Carmichael for any other question.
Course delivery format:
12 X 2-hour lecture
10 X 1-hour discussion (no discussion hour week 1 and week 12)
(Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)
Course overview:
Concerns over terrorism have become a part of life throughout the world in the twenty-first century. In 2018, for example, eight countries in Western Europe recorded at least one death from terrorism, while Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, and Pakistan recorded hundreds of attacks and deaths. In 2019, terror arrived in New Zealand. As a consequence, and regardless of the real or perceived level of threat, it is not an exaggeration to say that we live in a terrorism-saturated world. Terrorism is one of the most-debated issues amongst politicians, policymakers, academics, the media and the general public. Yet, what terrorism is, how it is shaped by, and in turns shapes, politics and society is poorly understood and discussions often fall prey to unfounded assumptions. This course aims to mediate this lack of knowledge.
This course is not about identifying the ‘bad guys’. This course is an introductory study of the politics of terrorism. The course is structured around a number of questions, which include: What terrorism and New Terrorism are? Who becomes a terrorist and why? What is the role of women in terrorism? Can states be terrorists? How are terrorist groups funded? Which are the main terrorist movements? Is the internet terrorists’ best friend? These questions are explored in a manner that incorporates insights and approaches from a variety of academic disciplines, including international relations, comparative politics, history, sociology, and psychology. Thus framed, the course provides students with the opportunity to develop specific knowledge of terrorism-related issues and the ability to critically engage with them.
More specifically the course has the below-outlined aims, objectives and learning outcomes.
Aims and objectives
By the end of the course students will gain:
- Broad knowledge of some of the main issue related to terrorism.
- An understanding of what terrorism is, who is involved, why, how and in what way.
- Broad knowledge of the role of women in terrorism.
- Broad knowledge of the main terrorist groups and movements and how they operate.
- An understanding of the threat posed to terrorism.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will have developed:
- Understand and critically evaluate issues related to the politics of terrorism.
- Able to construct reasoned, reflexive arguments on the relationship between politics and terrorism.
- Able to present ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively in a variety of forms and to different audiences.
- The ability to apply accrued knowledge in academic and industry-relevant settings.
How to study for this course:
The course comprises of twelve, two-hour lectures and twelve one-hour discussion time. The screen capture recordings of the lectures will be available via Canvas. During the lectures, Dr Fabio Scarpello will introduce concepts, information and context. The discussion hour will be student-centred and moderated by Dr Fabio Scarpello and Carmen Noel Alfaro.
Students are required to prepare for the lectures and discussion hour via independent research and reading.
The best way for students to prepare is by reading and researching in a manner that addresses the ‘discussion questions' listed under each week. Students should first familiarise themselves with these questions and, secondly, seek to answer them by engaging with the resources listed under each week, as well as by independent research if needed. Students are expected to spend on average 10.5 hours per week for the total weeks of this teaching period working on this course.
Three types of resources are available for students to prepare for the lectures/discussion each week: ‘Essential readings,’ ‘further readings’ and ‘non-peered review resources.’
Essential readings provide some of the answers for the discussion questions. Students must read these prior to the lecture and discussion hour to gain the most out of both. Essential readings are available online via the University of Auckland library and via Canvas.
Further readings help students gaining deeper insights into the topic studied. Students are encouraged to engage with some of these readings, proactively seeking answers to the discussion questions. Further readings are extremely useful and must be consulted when students engage with a specific topic for the course assessments.
Non-peer reviewed resources comprise of media articles, policy reports, podcasts, videos and more. These have been selected to add to students’ learning experience and because they provide useful insights into the discussion questions. Students are strongly encouraged to engage with some of this material.
Key sources of information
Canvas site
This canvas site includes all the main information related to this course. Key pages, accessible by the navigation menu on the left are:
- Assignments. Here students will find information on the assignments and the folder where to upload each assignment
- Modules. Here students will find 13 modules. The first module includes the PDF of the POL346 Course Guide and of the Politics and International Relations Coursework Guide. The 12 remaining modules contain the relevant links and information for each week. In particular, each includes links to the essential readings; a PDF file with the weekly learning content (summary of the lecture; study questions; essential readings; further readings; and non-peer resources) and the PowerPoint of the lecture, which is uploaded after each lecture. Under each module, there are also links to the assignments and other relevant information Dr Fabio Scarpello may upload during the course.
- Announcements. Here the course coordinator may post information relevant to the course. Students should check it frequently
POL346 Course Guide
The Course Guide is the main source of information for this course. Students must download it and refer to it throughout the 12 teaching weeks. The Course Guide is available for download in 'Modules/Course Guides'. The Guide includes detailed information on the following:
- Relevant books
- Relevant peer-reviewed journals
- Relevant online resources
- Study schedule and key dates
- Assessments details and penalties for late submission
- Weekly learning content (summary of the lecture; study questions; essential readings; further readings; and non-peer resources)
Politics and International Relations Coursework Guide
The Coursework Guide contains a wealth of information to navigate the administrative and academic aspects of studying at the University of Auckland, Department of Politics and International Relations. The Coursework Guide is also available for download in 'Modules/Course Guides'.
Assessments
Assessments are aimed at evaluating students’ progress towards achieving the aim and objectives and the learning outcomes of this course. This course includes three forms of assessment, weighing differently towards students’ final grade as detailed below:
Assessment 1: Position papers (3) – 600 words each. Due 04 September, midnight. Worth 40% final grade
Assessment 2: In-class Quiz. To be administered on 01 September. Worth 10% of the final grade
Assessment 3: In-class Quiz. To be administered on 27 October. Worth 10% of the final grade
Assessment 4: Closed book exam. Exact date TBC. Worth 40% of the final grade.
Policy for late coursework
Please try your hardest to meet coursework deadlines. Extensions are possible if, for example, you or a family member falls ill, or some other circumstance beyond your control prevents you from completing your work.
You can apply for an extension by contacting the course convenor via email or during office hours. You may need to provide supporting information, such as a doctor's or counsellor's certificate, but the important thing is to get in contact.
Late submission of coursework is possible without an extension, so long as you are ready to accept a penalty by losing marks. Late penalties help ensure fairness, otherwise, some students would have more time to complete work than others.
The penalties for submitting work late when you do not have an extension are:
Coursework submitted up to two days late will lose 5% of the total marks available for the assignment
Coursework submitted three to five days late will lose 10% of the total marks available for the assignment
Coursework submitted six to ten days late will lose 25% of the total marks available for the assignment
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For example: Aroha submitted an essay two days late without an extension. She received 97% on the essay, but then lost 5% for lateness. Her final mark is 92%. |
Weekends count as days. For example, an essay due on Thursday that is submitted on Monday is four days late.
Essays submitted more than 10 days past the due submission date may not be accepted and the student might be given a 0%. However, you are strongly encouraged to contact the course convenor to discuss your options.
Everyone confronts difficulties at some point. So please talk to or email the course convenor if you are experiencing troubles finishing or submitting coursework. Academic staff will work with you wherever possible on a plan for finishing your work, and, of course, it is better to get an assignment in late than not at all (even if it is incomplete).
Where to go for help
Your wellbeing comes first and, if you need advice or support, you are welcome to the course convenor. Academic staff can help by guiding you to the range of support services for students that the University provides. You can also access them here:
The university provides ongoing support for students with visible and invisible impairments. Information about that support is available here:
If you need to apply for an aegrotat or compassionate consideration for a test, the relevant information can be found here:
If you need to apply for an aegrotat or compassionate consideration for an exam, the relevant information can be found here:
Course summary:
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