syllabus 139
Terrorism and Insurgency
Political Science 139
Winter 2015
Instructor: Dov H. Levin, Ph.D
Dovlvn@ucla.edu
Lectures: Mon. and Wend. 12-1:55
Office: 4250 Bunche
Office Hours: Mon. & Wend. 2:30-3:30
While warfare between states has become quite infrequent, conflicts between governments and terrorist and insurgent groups have increasingly developed into the predominant forms of political violence. Indeed, long before 9/11, domestic (or transnational) terrorist groups have terrorized tens of millions of civilians and scores of countries around the world. Since the turn of the century, terrorist attacks have also become increasingly lethal and destructive in various ways. As for insurgencies, since the end of WW2, the vast majority of conflict-related deaths around the world have occurred in the context of a civil war between a government and one (or more) insurgent group.
Presently, the U.S. and many of the world’s governments face major security challenges posed by insurgent and terrorist organizations and expend valuable resources combating these foes despite the latter usually possessing only a fraction of their strength. Although vast amounts of blood and treasure have been spent in efforts to destroy these violent organizations, many terrorist and insurgent groups continue to bedevil governments.
This course takes an actor-centered approach to the study of terrorism and insurgency. It will address, among other things, the goals and origins of insurgent and terrorist groups, the strategies that these non-state actors and governments use to combat each other (and their overall effectiveness), the effects that such groups can have upon the countries in which they operate (as well as on other countries unfortunate enough to suffer from any ‘spillovers’) and the various ways that these conflicts eventually end. As we explore these issues, we will also acquire indepth historical knowledge of the history of terrorism and insurgency in general and of a wide range of
Political Science 139
Winter 2015
Instructor: Dov H. Levin, Ph.D
Dovlvn@ucla.edu
Lectures: Mon. and Wend. 12-1:55
Office: 4250 Bunche
Office Hours: Mon. & Wend. 2:30-3:30
While warfare between states has become quite infrequent, conflicts between governments and terrorist and insurgent groups have increasingly developed into the predominant forms of political violence. Indeed, long before 9/11, domestic (or transnational) terrorist groups have terrorized tens of millions of civilians and scores of countries around the world. Since the turn of the century, terrorist attacks have also become increasingly lethal and destructive in various ways. As for insurgencies, since the end of WW2, the vast majority of conflict-related deaths around the world have occurred in the context of a civil war between a government and one (or more) insurgent group.
Presently, the U.S. and many of the world’s governments face major security challenges posed by insurgent and terrorist organizations and expend valuable resources combating these foes despite the latter usually possessing only a fraction of their strength. Although vast amounts of blood and treasure have been spent in efforts to destroy these violent organizations, many terrorist and insurgent groups continue to bedevil governments.
This course takes an actor-centered approach to the study of terrorism and insurgency. It will address, among other things, the goals and origins of insurgent and terrorist groups, the strategies that these non-state actors and governments use to combat each other (and their overall effectiveness), the effects that such groups can have upon the countries in which they operate (as well as on other countries unfortunate enough to suffer from any ‘spillovers’) and the various ways that these conflicts eventually end. As we explore these issues, we will also acquire indepth historical knowledge of the history of terrorism and insurgency in general and of a wide range of