Dr. Edward Morse's
Sociology 601-02 Course
Sociology of Terrorism
Syllabus:
Readings:
Terrorism: An Introduction 3rd edition Jonathon R. White (ISBN 0534573312) Wadsworth
The New Jackals by Simon Reeve (ISBN 1555535097) Northeastern University Press
Origins of Terrorism Ed. Walter Reich (ISBN 09438758970) Woodrow Wilson Center Press
Political Paranoia by Robert Robins and Jerrold Post (ISBN 0300070276) Yale University Press
Reference:
Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences by Paul Maniscalco and Hank Christen (ISBN 0-13-021229-6) Prentice Hall
Course Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Exploring the behavior of Terrorism
Read: Terrorism: An Introduction Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
3. The logic underlying political violence
Read: Origins of Terrorism Chapters 1, 2, 6
4. Terrorism and God
Read: Political Paranoia Chapter 6
Read: Terrorism: An Introduction Chapters 4, 10
5. Paranoia, Social Psychiatry, and Society
Read: Political Paranoia Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9
6. The Social Profile of Modern Day Terrorists
Read: The New Jackals Chapters 1-12
7. The State and Federal Governments Response to Terrorism
Read: Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5
8. The Sociological Consequences of Applied Knowledge
Read: Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences Chapters 6, 7, 9, 10, 11
9. Terrorism and the Curtailment of Individual Freedoms and Privacy
Read: Terrorism: An Introduction 13, 14
Read: Origins of Terrorism 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
10. The Future Impact of Terrorism on Our Social Institutions
Read: Terrorism: An Introduction Chapters 15, 16, 17
Sites with information and news about terrorism and related subjects:
(Some of these web sites were found courtesy of Dr. Morse's son, Nelson, just to bug his students.)
News Sites:
Course Overview:
Within the cultural context of the "Western World" this course will examine the short and long term changes in the social behavior arising from acts of social terrorism. Attention will first focus on a comparative of the utility of different definitions of terrorism. The course will examine profiles of terrorists within a historical and social psychiatry perspective. With this general information as a foundation attention will turn to critical examination of current theories of terrorism. The last major task of the course is to study the current antiterrorism policies of the U.S. and other Western Nations in conjunction with the latest antiterrorist technology in place to fight terrorism. Antiterrorism policies and technology will be studied to gain understanding of their potential for changing the social context of our culture at the individual, community, and institutional levels.
Newspaper:
Each student is required to read the Sunday New York Times each week and come to class each week prepared to answer questions. you will need your own copy of the newspaper so that you may cut out articles for your poster presentation near the end of the course. You must order your Sunday New York Times by calling 279-6001 and ask to order the Sunday New York Times for the Fall Semester (September 8th to December 1st). You must pay them before the company will deliver the paper. The paper must be delivered to Dr. Morse's house at 2126 Calhoun St. The NYTs distributor will provide me with an updated list of all students. If your name is not on the list it will be assumed that you are not doing the assignment. Failure to subscribe to the paper and have it delivered to Dr. Morse's house will result in your final grade being reduced 10%. You will be able to pick up your copy of the paper some time after 10:00am each Sunday.
Internship:
Each student will register for a one credit service learning course specifically associated with this course. You will participate at a service learning site as part of this course. You are required to keep a diary or log of what you do in your internship and discuss how what you are doing is related to various aspects of the course. (If at any time what you are doing at your internship does not relate to the course, you or people at your site are doing something wrong. You must stop at once and beep me at 363-0751.) You will spend a minimum of 40 hours at your internship.
Grading:
Midterm 20%
Class Participation 20%
Term Paper and Presentation 30%
Field Projects 20%
Poster Presentation N.Y. Times 10%
Final Exam (You must Pass the Exam to Pass the Course) P/F
* You are expected to be prepared and attend all sessions. Each student may miss one class during the semester, so schedule carefully.
