Department of History, Carleton University HIST 3902A/T Topics in European History Terrorism in History In Class: Loeb Bldg C 264;

Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:05-8:55 p.m. CUTV: Rogers Channel 243: Wednesday and Sunday 13:30 16:40 p.m. Summer Term May-June 2011 Instructor: Jan Fedorowicz Office: Paterson Hall 414 Phone: 240-7432 (cell); 730-6311 (residence). Office hours: Tuesday 5-6 p.m. email: jfedorowicz@sympatico.ca Teaching Assistants: Sanna Guerin: sguerin@connect.carleton.ca or workersheritage@gmail.com. Sergei Goussev: sgoussev@connect.carleton.ca Contacting Us: A WebCT has been set up for this course and it includes emailing capabilities, but if you want to get hold of me quickly, please use: jfedorowicz@sympatico.ca. The best way of contacting me is through this email address, which I check often. IN terms of contacting either Sanna or Sergei, use the email addresses provided. The Connect Carleton Addresses are the ones that appear on he WebtCT site. Content and Objectives Because of all the attention paid to it recently, terrorism is viewed as a modern phenomenon. In fact, the use of terror to achieve ideological or political ends is almost as old as human civilization. This lecture course will explore the phenomenon of terrorism in history. Starting with the ancient Assyrians, it will look at examples of terrorism drawn from the Greco-Roman world, the Mongol conquests, medieval Islam and Christianity. It will then consider how modern terrorism evolved in Europe in the wake of the French Revolution and revolutionary movements of the nineteenth century. Finally, it will consider how terrorism established itself as a global phenomenon during the course of the twentieth century. The course will look at how terror has been used to enforce religious conformity, to ensure political obedience, or to promote revolution. It will seek to define terrorism in a way that distinguishes it from other types of political or military struggle. Finally, it will consider the conditions under which terrorism has emerged, and the circumstances in which it succeeds or fails in achieving its objectives.

Course Format The course is offered in two sections: one live in the classroom and the other via CUOL. The inclass section will meet twice a week in Loeb C264 on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 6:05 and 8:55 pm. CUOL students will watch the course on Rogers Cable channel 243 according to the schedule on the CUOL website (Wednesdays and Sundays, 13:30 TO 16:40). Copies of each lecture will be available on CD for borrowing from the Student Centre at Loeb D299 five days after the original lecture. A WebCT site has been set up for this course. The presentations made during lectures will be posted on the site and will thus be available for review. A Special Note to CUOL Students CUOL students should be aware that in addition to the three texts recommended for purchase for this course (and consequently used on almost a weekly basis) they will need to make occasional trips to a library to do research for their bibliographic essays and research papers. CUOL students should be under no illusion that a television course is in any way fundamentally different from a normal, in-class course. You are STRONGLY ADVISED to watch the televised lectures and do not entertain the idea of watching them in one, long sitting just before the examination. Make an effort to contact the professor or teaching assistant, collect your marked essay and do the readings. Failure to do this will impair your work in the course. Course Readings (Required) There is no lack of published material on terrorism: the catalogue at Carleton University Library lists hundreds of entries on the subject. The only danger is that recent events in the Middle East have tended to attract all of the attention and the topic has been appropriated by military theorists and social scientists. There is material on earlier periods though it is more dispersed and will require some additional effort to find. Students are expected to read the following three books, which will be integrated with the lecture material. Additional sources are provided at the end of this syllabus to help people get a start on their research papers. Randall D. Law, Terrorism: A History (Polity Press, 2009). This is one of the few books available that looks at terrorism from an historical perspective. As a result, Laws readings are tightly integrated with the lectures. Each chapter in Laws book includes a brief bibliographical essay at the end. This is an excellent source of material from which you can draw ideas for your own research papers. Brigitte L. Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism (Penguin Academics, Third Edition, 2009). Nacos book represents a typical treatment of terrorism drawing on the methodologies of social science and (to some extent) military studies. It provides a clear and succinct overview of the structure and dynamics of terrorist movements and the counter-terrorist

strategies used against them. The only drawback is that at times it is a bit too American in its orientation. In some cases, the readings are not directly tied to the lecture material, but following them will help students develop an understanding of how terrorism works. Polk, William R. Violent Politics: A History of Insurgency, Terrorism & Guerrilla War, From the American Revolution to Iraq (Harper Perennial 2008). This book presents a series of case studies that complement Laws chronological approach and Nacos structural descriptions. It illustrates how terrorism frequently combines with other forms of political violence. The three preceding books have also been placed on reserve at the Carleton University Library. Evaluation The final mark will be based on the following pieces of work: Bibliographic Exercise, worth 20% -- an annotated bibliography of five items to be used for the essay, including at least one article from a scholarly journal. Essay, worth 40% -- a 3000-word essay on an assigned topic. Final Exam, which will be a take-home distributed at the final class:, worth 40% More detailed information on topics and guidelines for writing assignments appears later in this handout. Assignments are expected to be well-written and concise, conforming to correct grammar and spelling. The use of either MLA or Chicago styles is mandatory. References must be footnoted or endnoted; in-text citation is not acceptable. All material submitted in this course must be your own work, written specifically for this course. Rough Work Since we live in an age where it is easy to buy essays in Bangalore, I need evidence that your work is your own. I would like your rough work appended to your essay. That can consist of notes, photocopies of title pages that you used, screen shots of web pages etc. Rough work must be handed in with all of your assignments; assignments are not considered submitted unless rough material is included, and will be assessed a late penalty until rough work is handed in Handing in Work Extensions may be considered in case of emergency. Extensions will not be granted on or after the due date. A penalty of 3 % per day will be assessed on late work, including weekends. This course will be governed according to the Regulations Governing All History Courses. All essays and exams can be submitted electronically by the due date, using the course site on WebCT. The work can also be returned electronically. This means that CUOL students need not

be physically present on campus to hand in or receive assignments. If you are submitting electronically, you MUST use a file format that is compatible with MS Word. Those using Macs or other software MUST convert it to MS Word formats. You MUST use a file name that includes your Surname. You MUST upload it to the appropriate assignment dropbox on WebCT. If, for some reason, you would prefer to hand in hard copy of your assignments, in-class students will be expected to hand in their assignments before or after class. CUOL students within 50 km of campus should hand in their papers to the History Department, 400 Paterson Hall. Students further away can mail their assignments, postmarked no later than the due date. A drop box is also available outside the history department office (400 Paterson Hall) if this is absolutely necessary. This box is emptied on weekday mornings and assignments will be stamped with the previous days date. Do not slide assignments under my office door. Assignments will be returned electronically after marking by email, or they will be brought to class. CUOL assignments will be left in the CUOL Student Centre in D299 Loeb Bldg. I will make every attempt to hand assignments back promptly.

Lectures
Please note: Session dates provided below are for the in-class lecture. CUOL students will be able to view the lecture on Rogers 243 at 13:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays and Sundays. SESSION 1 (MAY 10): INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS TERRORISM? This session will introduce the notion of terrorism and explore possible definitions of the term. Terrorism is as old as human civilization and examples from the ancient world will be used to initiate a discussion about the nature of terrorism and how it differs from other acts of violence or strategies for political change. It will set out some of the broad issues that we will be considering in the course including theoretical foundations, objectives, and essential constituent elements of terrorism. Ultimately, the purpose of the course is to ask the questions: What is terrorism? When does it work? When does it fail? Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Introduction, Chapter 1. Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapters 1, 2. SESSION 2 (MAY 12): TERRORISM IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN EUROPE The second session will consider examples of the use of terror and terrorism drawn primarily from medieval and early modern European history, with some reference to the Ismaili Assassins and the Mongols. It will deal with doctrines of tyrannicide and the political use of violence in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe. We will consider official terror (e.g. the Inquisition) and unofficial terror (royal assassinations, bomb plots). Much of this was motivated by the religious wars of the time. We will also consider the evolution of societal elements that made modern terrorism possible. These include: the rise of the media and public opinion, urbanization,

evolution of the technology of violence as well as ideology (assertion of individual conscience and the right of resistance to tyranny). Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapters 2, 3. Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapter 3. SESSION 3 (MAY 17): REVOLUTION AND THE FIRST THEORETICIANS OF TERROR The French Revolution saw the first systematic and explicit use of terror as a technique of political control. Equally important was the emergence of the concept of a citizen army and the arming of the entire population to defend the Revolution. This broke down the distinction between combatants and non-combatants that theoreticians of war were trying to articulate. While the revolutionary Reign of Terror was used by the state, in the post-revolutionary period notions of propaganda of the deed animated the rise of individual acts of terrorism intended to overthrow the conservative political order. These theories found a special resonance in the struggle of Russian Revolutionaries against Tsarism. Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapters 4, 5 Polk, Violent Politics, Chapter 1 SESSION 4 (MAY 19): THE AGE OF ANARCHIST TERRORISM By the end of the 19th century, terrorism had emerged as a significant political phenomenon. In particular, it was used to great effect by anarchists throughout Europe and the United States. And the period was dominated by a relentless campaign of high profile assassinations against heads of state and prominent political leaders. Readings Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 6, 7 Polk, Violent Politics, Chapter 2, 3. SESSION 5 (MAY 24): TERRORISM AND NATIONALISM THE 19 AND EARLY 20 CENTURIES Terrorism was also applied to the pursuit of nationalist objectives. In the case of the United States, the Ku Klux Klan used terror to assert the values of the defeated Old South. Terrorism was also used in the Balkans, the Boer War and India to advance national causes. Perhaps the best example of a successful nationalist campaign of terrorism is exemplified by the Irish struggle for independence from Britain, a struggle that partially succeeded in the 1920s.
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Readings Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapters 8, 9 Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapters 4, 6 Polk, Violent Politics, Chapter 4

SESSION 6 (MAY 26): STATE TERROR Individual terrorism seeks to overthrow the political order: what happens when it succeeds in doing so? This session will examine the role of terror in seizing states power and then maintaining that power. In particular it will focus on the cases of the Bolsheviks in Russia and the Nazis in Germany. In both instances, because terror was such an important tool in seizing power, it became impossible not to continue using it once power had been achieved. Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 10 Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapter 7 Polk, Violent Politics, Chapters 5, 6.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC ASSIGNMENT DUE MAY 26

SESSION 7 (MAY 31): TERRORISM AND DECOLONISATION After the Second World, there was a general movement to end European rule in Asia and Africa. In many cases decolonisation was accompanied by the explicit use of terrorist tactics, copied from earlier European models. This session will look at the role terrorism played in Palestine/Israel, Malaysia, Kenya, Cyprus and Algeria. Readings Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapter 8, 9 Law, Terrorism: A History. Chapter 11 Polk, Violent Politics, Chapters 7, 8 SESSION 8 (JUNE 2): MODERN ETHNO-NATIONALIST TERRORISM There are 193 sovereign states that are members of the United Nations, but there are literally thousands of linguistic and ethnic groups around the world. Inevitably this leads to disagreements about which groups should have their own states and hence the many wars of national liberation following the Second World War. Since many of these conflicts occur within a political structure, they are often pursued by terrorist means. This session will explore cases such as the Palestine Liberation Organization, Northern Ireland, the Basque country (Spain), the Tamils of Sri Lanka, Rwanda and the national minorities of Yugoslavia. Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 12. Polk, Violent Politics, Chapters 9, 10. SESSION 9 (JUNE 7): LEFTIST TERRORISM By the late 1960s and early 1970s, terrorism also emerged as a tactic for pursuing radical domestic political reform. This session will address this phenomenon by considering cases such as the Red Brigades in Italy, the Red Army Faction in West Germany, the Weathermen in the

United States, and the FLQ in Canada. It will also look at terrorism and counter-terrorism in various Latin American countries. Readings: Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 13. SESSION 10 (JUNE 9): JIHADIST TERRORISM: THE RISE OF AL QAEDA Over the past decades, terrorism has proliferated in the Muslim world. This session will start with some historical background on the region. Terrorism campaigns in Palestine or Algeria were largely secular, but from the mid 1970s, terrorism in the Middle East acquired distinctly religious overtones with the emergence of Islamic fundamentalist movements in Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The session will end with an exploration of Al Qaeda, its origins, political program, and likely prospects. Readings: Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapter 5. Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 14. Polk, Violent Politics, Chapter 11. SESSION 11 (JUNE 14): FRINGE TERRORISM AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA The last decades of the 20th century saw the emergence of terrorism as a tool in the service of various ideologies focused on issues such as the environment, abortion, animal rights, resistance to government, racism and fringe religions. This session will focus on terror campaigns waged by a variety of fringe political and religious sects including survivalists, racists, Aum Shinryko in Japan, as well as extreme religious fundamentalist groups. The session will conclude by looking at Terrorism and the media. Because terrorism is a form of psychological warfare and a way of spreading propaganda, it depends absolutely on the media for its effect. The session will consider not only traditional media such as television and newspapers, but electronic media such as the Internet. Readings Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Chapters 14, 15, 16 Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 15. RESEARCH ESSAY DUE JUNE 16 SESSION 12 (JUNE 16): COUNTER-TERRORISM AND RECENT TRENDS This session will focus on the tactics used by terrorists and the response to them by counterterrorist operations. It will explore what techniques have proven to be ineffective in responding to terrorism and what techniques seem to work best. It will conclude with an assessment of recent trends in electronic warfare and their impact on terrorism in the future. Readings: Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Chapters 10-13. Law, Terrorism: A History, Chapter 16.

Course Assignments
You will write one bibliographic assignment and one short essay. All rough work must be handed in with the assignment; assignments are not considered submitted unless rough material is included, and will be assessed a late penalty until rough work is handed in. If you do not typically take notes, include a photocopy or scan of the title page of each work used and your rough drafts. A penalty of 3% per day will be assessed on late work. No extensions will be given on or after the due date. READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!! All bibliographic assignments and research essays MUST have the following: A title that describes the subject of the paper. Bibliographic Essay is not a title! A title page distinct from the body of the paper that includes your name. Page numbers Footnotes (or endotes) using Chicago or MLA style guides A bibliography of work used for the paper. A file name (for electronic submissions) that includes your SURNAME. Possible Topics Participants are free to choose their own topics. The following are suggestions intended to stimulate thinking. If you have doubts, check with me before going too far down what may be a dead end. a. b. c. d. e. f. Write on a specific terrorist organization or movement Write about the situation in a country with a terrorist problem and how it responded An analysis of terrorist tactics: what works and what doesnt An analysis of responses to terrorism: what works and what doesnt The conditions that have favoured the emergence of terrorism as a political tactic The impact of terrorism on politics, law, society, economics etc.

Bibliographic Assignment (approx. 1000 words, worth 20%): Due Date: May 26th. Select five secondary sources, including one journal article that you will be using in your essay. Start the bibliographic assignment by introducing the topic. Provide a thesis statement or a summary of your main argument. Discuss your topic by referring to the sources you have selected. What does each source have to say about the topic? What does it contribute to an understanding of the topic you have selected? What sources, arguments or evidence does each of your sources use? No web material (other than scholarly journals that are published on-line) may be used in this portion of the assignment. Consult the library web page and reference librarians for information on how to use an electronic journal index.

Research Essay (2000 - 3000 words, worth 40%): Due Date: June 16th. This is a paper in which you will present and support a thesis (argument) concerning the topic of your choice. The essay should contain the following: A clear and concise thesis statement A brief section (several paragraphs) providing an overview of the state of historical research on your topic. Give the opinions of a few historians and explain why they agree or disagree. Some areas of research are highly contested; in others, there is general unity of opinion. Journal articles and the introductions of books are good places to look for examples of this type of writing. A series of arguments proving your thesis, based on research in at least 10 secondary sources (including two journal articles). You can use web sources but you cannot rely on web sources exclusively. You may also use primary (original) sources, but this is not required. Footnoted or endnoted references that support your argument. You must always reference the ideas of others, as well as paraphrases and direct quotations. Use the format provided in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, The Chicago Manual of Style, or in the style sheet available in the history department. Final Examination (worth 40%) Due at the end of the summer examination period: June 29 The final exam will be a take-home exam that can also be submitted electronically to the WebCT site. It must be submitted by the due date, which is the end of the early summer examination period. The exam will be in several parts with choice offered in each part. Final grades are to be submitted within ten days of the end of the examination period for this course. Plagiarism The University Senate defines plagiarism as presenting, whether intentionally or not, the ideas, expression of ideas or work of others as ones own. Please see the attached Regulations Common to All History Courses for more information. Student Accommodation Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations in this course are encouraged to contact a coordinator at the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities to complete the necessary letters of accommodation. After registering with the PMC, let me know about the arrangements you have made.

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Some Other Sources Anonymous, Imperial Hubris: Why the West is losing the War on Terror (Brasseys 2004) Carr, C. The Lessons of Terror: A History of Warfare Against Civilians (Random House, 2003). Combs, C. C. Terrorism in the Twenty First Century (5th Edition, Pearson Longman, 2009) Cronin, I. Confronting Fear: A History of Terrorism (Thunders Mouth Press, 2002). Chaliand, G. and Blin A. (eds.) The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to Al Qaeda (U. of California Press 2007). Crenshaw, M. (ed.) Terrorism in Context (Pennsylvania State University Press 1995). Evan W.M. (ed.) War and Peace in an Age of Terrorism: A Reader (Pearson 2006). Goodwin, S. and Phillis, R.W. Biological Terrorism (Pearson 2003). Harris, Lee, Civilization and its Enemies: The Next Stage of History (Free Press 2004) Howard, R.D. .and Sawyers, R.L. Terrorism and Counterterrorism (McGraw Hill 2006) Hoffman, B. Inside Terrorism, (revised edition) Columbia University Press, (New York 2006). Ignatieff, M. The Lesser Evil: Political Ethics in an Age of Terror (Penguin 2004). Kegley C.(ed.) The New Global Terrorism: Characteristics, Causes, Controls (Prentice Hall 2003). Martin, G. Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives and Issues (Sage 2006) OKane, R. H. T. Terrorism (Pearson Longman 2007). Polk, W.R. Violent Politics: A History of Insurgency, Terrorism & Guerrilla War from the American Revolution to Iraq (Harper 2008). Reich, W. (ed.) Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind (Woodrow Wilson Center Press 1998). Sageman, M. Understanding Terror Networks (U. of Pennsylvania Press 2004). Schneier, B. Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World (Springer 2006). Shultz, R.H. and Dew, A.J., Insurgents, Terrorists and Militia: The Warriors of Contemporary Combat (Columbia University Press, 2006). Singer, P.W., Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century (Penguin Press 2009). Simonsen C.E. and Spindlove, J.R. Terrorism Today: The Past, The Players, The Future (Pearson, 2010). Sinclair, A. An Anatomy of Terror: A History of Terrorism (Pan Books 2003). Whittaker, D.J. Counter-terrorism and Human Rights (Pearson 2009). Whittaker, D.J. Terrorism: Understanding the Global Threat (Pearson 2007).

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