Critical Perspectives on Terrorism (Capstone Unit)

Unit code: POL30009
Duration: 1 Teaching Period
Contact hours: Recommended 8 hours of study per week

About this unit

This unit provide students with an understanding of why security and intelligence systems are established, how they are organised, what they do and how their work is used and supervised. It also explores the ethical and political debates about intelligence and security systems in open, democratic communities.

Content

Topics include:

• Problems in defining and conceptualising terrorism
• How knowledge of terrorism informs counter‐terrorism policy and practices
• Terrorism in its many forms and questions of security and political violence
• National, sub‐national and global implications of terrorism
• Case studies
• Political and ethical dilemmas, with particular emphasis on the growth of terrorism as an ‘industry’

This unit is found in the following courses:

• Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Security and Counter Terrorism
• Bachelor of Social Science With a Major in Security and International Relations