An Introduction to Conflict,
Violence, & Terrorism
Spring 2010
Masaryk University
Department of Int'l Relations & European Studies
Dave McCuan
Fulbright Scholar, 2009 - 2010
MVZ
Spring 2010
First Meeting
* Course materials available on MU Information System (IS)
­ Lecture materials uploaded to IS along with many critical readings
* Today's agenda:
­ Distribution of syllabus, discussion of assignments, key dates, &
course tasks;
­ MIDTERM EXAM DATE: Wednesday, 21 April 2010
­ NO CLASS: Wednesday, 28 April 2010
­ READING WEEK: Wednesday 31 March 2010
­ Where you can obtain research assistance: on the web, at UMD
START program, U. of St. Andrews and Penn State U., and
through CIAONet, EBSCO, & JSTOR.
­ Discussion of concepts to be introduced by readings & discussion
MVZ
Spring 2010
First Meeting
* First central questions:
­ Why terror is critical & poorly understood, examples:
* Identify one "terrorist" entity besides Al Qaeda, and identify
counterterrorist entity (organization) besides the FBI/CIA.
* What would be an objective definition of "terrorism"?
* Discussion:
­ Almost ten years after 9/11 is the US more or less
vulnerable to attacks on the "homeland"?
­ How would one measure/analyze "terrorism" and
"counterterrorism"?
­ Why would one measure/analyze "terrorism" and
"counterterrorism"?
The uncertainty of the danger belongs to the essence of terrorism.
-Jurgen Habermas
ˇ Locating terrorism on "Spectrum of Conflict & Violence:"
­ Assumption: Conflict inherent part of all human civilizations, material
universe. Correct assumption? Why/why not?
­ Conflict is managed through coercion, persuasion, reward, status
* The traditional Political Science "Spectrum of Conflict & Violence:"
­ Norms, Mores, Taboos
­ Civil Law
­ Criminal Law
­ Crime
­ Organized Crime
­ Disorders, Riots
­ Terrorism
­ Guerilla War
­ Low-level (intensity) war
­ Limited Conventional War
­ Unlimited Conventional War
­ Selective mass destruction
­ Mass destruction up to "omnicide"
Typology of Political Crimes
Perpetrator Government Antigovernment
Violent Crimes Genocide
Police Violence
Assassination
Terrorism
Nonviolent Crimes Corruption
Illegal Domestic
Surveillance
Sedition
Treason
Espoinage/Spying
Internal Security
One Typology of Terrorism
Direct involvement
of nationals of more
than one state
No direct involvement of
nationals of more than one
state
Government
controlled or
directed
Interstate/statesponsored
terrorism
State terrorism
Non
government
controlled or
directed
International/transnati
onal terrorism
Domestic terrorism
ˇ Are we in the "Dawn of a New Era" of terror, post-9/11?
­ Asymmetrical
­ New groups and new strategies and tactics adopted
by terror organizations
­ Post-Cold War
­ Statelessness, state failure, correlates of econ
progress
* Historical periodization of Political Violence & Terrorism
­ Antiquity
­ Roman Era
­ French Revolution
­ Modern Era
ˇ Extremism versus Terrorism: Important differences
* Sources of terrorism
* Ideologies and terrorism
­ Key ­ ideological spectrum shifts over time
* Terrorism Confusion in Definition
­ Pejorative Term
­ Mala prohibita vs. Mala in se
­ Four moral questions
* Terrorist or `freedom fighter'
* Terror of "heroic sacrifice" (an army of one)
* Extremism in defense of liberty
* Destroy a village, city, country, planet in order to save it
­ Degree of Criminal Sophistication
* Baumhammers, Kaczynski, Yousef
­ Al Qaeda (AQ)
ˇ Contexts of Terrorism: Complex, Over-lapping
­ History
­ Conflict
­ Power
­ Repression
­ Media
­ Crime
­ Religion
­ Specific Forms:
* Technical/Cyber/Narco - terrors
­ Bruce Jenkins / Walter Laqueur
* Use or threatened use of force w/political objectives
­ Legal Definitions
* Terrorism as a specific criminal act
* US prosecution for acts, terrorism not separate crime
­ Martha Crenshaw
* Terrorism vs. Revolutionary Violence