PSCI 289 - Advanced Topics in International Relations - Capstone Seminar

SPRING 2021 TOPIC: TERRORISM AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE. This seminar provides an in-depth exploration of terrorism and political violence. The course begins with an historically-informed examination of terrorism as a concept, followed by a comparative inventory of some of the major forms and practitioners of political violence. Upon concluding that inventory, we will appraise terrorism as a form of political behavior-in the process investigating relevant factors such as psychology and motivation, organizational structure, strategy and tactics, gender, and communication strategies. The final component of the seminar will be devoted to assessing counterterrorism in broad relief, with special attention dedicated to the effectiveness of various counter-terrorism strategies, their implications for civil liberties and democratic values, and their likely impact on the projected future of this form of political behavior.

FALL 2020 TOPIC: GENDER AND SECURITY. This course uses IR theory, and particularly a gender/feminist analysis to explore, understand, and analyze the connection between gender and conflict. We will examine the ways in which conflict (and peace) is gendered, and the ways in which masculinities and femininities are contested-and utilized in support of and in opposition to conflict. We will study historical and contemporary cases of both interstate and intrastate conflict.

Prerequisites: PSCI 069  OR INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION; JRS & SRS ONLY

Anticipated Terms Offered: EACH SEMESTER