GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Department of Sociology COURSE
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GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Department of Sociology SYLLABUS SOCI 195-01 SOCIOLOGY OF TERRORISM Professor Daddio Car Barn Room 201 Fall 2011 E-Mail: [email protected] Office: Room 209 Car Barn Office Phone: 202-687-3658 Office Hours: MW 7:00 - 8:00PM COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course focuses on terrorism from a sociology perspective. Sociology is the study of human social interaction and structure in groups. Sociologists examine systematically the ways people behave and arrange themselves in groups. Why people behave and organize the ways they do. We tend to take the behavior and structure for granted, since we are part of the group, but our perspective is clouded by what we have been taught to believe. By systematically observing and analyzing the group interactions and the group structures, sociologists can describe, explain, and interpret the group behavior patterns, and explain the influences of the social structure on that behavior. Sociology’s structure/functional, interaction, and critical theories have been very useful in understanding social issues, and have been very influential in deciding social policy issues: sometimes beneficially, sometimes not so well. Sociology of Terrorism takes a deviance and social control approach to the concept, theories, structure, and control of terrorism. A concept of many meanings and applications, the first section of the course will examine the social construct of the concept, terrorism, from several social and cultural perspectives. The second component of the course will examine theories of terrorism from the traditional functional/structural, conflict, and interaction theories. The first is the theoretical approach normally applied by governments, the second is the classic argument used by terrorist groups, while the third theory focuses on the protagonists and the victims. Part three will focus on the current state of terrorism, and part four on the current debate about controlling terrorism. The method is lecture participation, and discussion. The last section will present expected future trends in terrorism. The term terrorism has been used to describe such divergent deviant behaviors as guerrilla warfare, the exploding of the Oklahoma City Federal Building, bombing abortion clinics, bombing of transportation systems in Europe, and of course the September 11 events. The concept has been applied to political groups who have declared that their plight is so desperate that they resort to draconian measures to draw public attention to their cause. The same concept has been applied to individuals who have terrorized a public and to state governments who terrorize or support people who do. The term also means acts that have had terrorizing consequences. People have applied the label inconsistently, and often with political, social, and cultural biases. For example, the United States never labeled the IRA a terrorist group, though the IRA took pride in their terrorist acts. Often one group’s terrorist is another group’s freedom fighter or hero. Sometimes terrorism is the province of the military and other times the law enforcement system. So defining terrorism universally is difficult, and the application very confusing. Most perspectives about terrorism concern practical steps to counter it with opposing force or physical preventive measures. These actions tend to be immediate and short focused. The U.S. reactions to September 11 occurred this way. Another focus is the cultural and social perspective that affects the use and effectiveness of terrorism and its control. For example, though terrorism has been effective in some cases, its application in most cases has had negative consequences in the U.S. Committing a terrorist act here tended to elicit negative reaction from the society, the opposite of what traditional terrorism is supposed to elicit. American mores require the shielding of the innocent from the combatants. It is the innocents that usually suffer in terrorist acts – in some definitions - it is the purpose. Terrorists target the innocent. Then again the American culture’s focus on the individual freedom creates a duel role of supporting the freedom issues of some groups, but withdrawing support when an innocent is hurt. Terrorists use fear and intimidation as a sword, and the public’s acceptance or rejection of the weapons they choose may have more to do with controlling terrorism than the immediate tools we normally use to counter such threats. Cultural differences further complicate the issue. The U.S. has its roots as rebels. Many believe that the U.S. enjoys its culture of violence (think movies and TV). And there is the fundamental difference in the U.S. and European cultural focus on the individual over the group and the Asian and Eastern cultural value on the group over the individual. That difference makes it easier for members of some cultures to sacrifice themselves in dramatic violence, with more fearful results. Another important perspective is the social control mechanisms applied. Terrorism often has at its aim, an overreaction from the controlling forces in order to aggravate the members of the society. The result is hopefully to turn the populace against the government in power. So the way institutions respond has social significance. International terrorism bridges the domains of the political-military institution and the criminal justice institutions. International terrorists, as most international criminals, operate along the boundaries of these institutions, and with great success. Then again, most U.S. terrorism experts think that 9/11 and its aftermath was conducted by a new type of terrorist who wishes to engage in war with the U.S and other western nations. Walter Laqueur, Bruce Hoffman, Ian Lesser, and others predicted the rise in terrorist violence. They stated that the rules applied to the traditional terrorist do not apply to the new terrorist. Because new terrorists want to win the war, they will engage in acts as violent as possible in order to kill or maim as many enemies as possible. Their goal is for the enemy to lose the will to fight, and give up. Some in the foreign community disagree. They think that there is not a new type of terrorist. Finally, U.S. national terrorism policy has been ad hoc, and disjointed. This may be due to little theoretically discussion of the subject, and more a reaction to specific events that are after-the-fact. The U.S. had limited experience with terrorism, especially foreign terrorists operating in the U.S. Since not prepared, the U.S. reacted as well as could be expected, but certainly not with a cohesive plan. So the U.S. response to terrorism seems to be in the extremes: overreaction and under reaction. Time has muted the crisis mentality, and we have begun to examine in detail what to do about terrorism; what are its causes; and how to deal with its consequences. Terrorism is an interesting transnational problem. Like most transnational issues, do not expect a lot of answers. Expect a lot of discussion. The specific objectives for this course are: 1. Examine the social construct of the concept, terrorism, from social and cultural perspectives. 2. Discuss theories of terrorism from the traditional functional/structural, conflict, and interaction theories. 3. Explore the current issues in terrorism 4. Explore efforts to control terrorism 5. Detail the anticipated terrorism trends COURSE TEXTS: Required Books: We will use several books for this course. The books were selected based on their relevant content, availability, and importance. All are mandatory. All the books can be found on on- line book sellers and at the bookstore. Hoffman wrote the definitive book and is the definitive expert on terrorism. He is now at Georgetown. The Wright book is an interesting account of 9/11. That event was so monumental; it will always be part of terrorism courses and discussions. Wright is a commercial writer, so some of the information is not exactly accurate because he did not have access to some information, but the book is well written, and gives a good perspective on the event and the people involved. Netanyahu writes a short well written essay on security. All the experts still like Reich’s book as the definitive history piece that’s easy to read. Cronin reminds us that terrorism ends. The books are: Hoffman, Bruce 2006 Inside Terrorism (Paperback) Columbia University Press; revised and expanded edition ISBN-13: 978-0231126991 Wright, Lawrence 2007 The Looming Tower, Al-Qaeda and the road to 9/11 Knopf Publishing ISBN-13: 978-1-4000-3084-2 Netanyahu, Benjamin 2001 Fighting Terrorism, How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorists, 2001 Edition Farrar, Straus & Giroux (paper) 978-0374524975 Reich, Walter (Editor), Walter Laqueur 1998 Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, Woodrow Wilson Press (New Forward Edition) (paper) 978-0943875897 Cronin, Audrey Kurth 2009 How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns [Hardcover] Princeton University Press ISBN-13: 978-0691139487 Recommended Additional Resources. The following books are not required. They are listed as additional resources available to you. The Combs book is more of a text about terrorism. Laqueur, Pillar, Netanyahu and Reich are books often used in a terrorism course. I have used them in the past, and they provide a little more detail in their areas. Bloom’s book is very good, and I used it the last couple of years.. She focuses on the long standing Tamil Tigers, who were defeated this year. Oliver and Steinberg provide more information on suicide terrorists. Bloom, Mia 2007 Dying to Kill, the Allure of Suicide Terror Columbia University Press, New Ed edition ISBN-13: 978-0231133210 Combs, Cindy 2005 Terrorism in the 21st Century Prentice-Hall, 4th edition ISBN-13: 978-0131930636 Post, Jerrold 2007 The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al- Qaeda Palgrave Macmillan ISBN-13: 978-1403966117 Laqueur, Walter 2005 Voices of Terror Sourcebooks, Inc.