START is offering exciting and academically stimulating classes during the coming summer semester. These classes would be of interest to a wide range of individuals from a variety of disciplines.
- BSOS388J Behavioral and Social Sciences Special Topics: Psychology of Terrorism; (3 credits), meets 07/12/10-08/22/10 Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9:30am-12:00pm (ONLINE)
Why would someone willingly strap on a bomb to kill themselves and many others? What motivates people to join terrorist organizations? Is there anything that we can do to stop the spread of terrorism? This course will look at the current literature in psychology to find some answers to these questions. Can social psychology, with our knowledge of people and their social interactions, help us understand terrorism? The course will use current research papers, movies and websites to help us understand the psychology of terrorism.
- BSOS388K Behavioral and Social Sciences Special Topics: Voices of Terror; (3 credits), meets 07/12/10-07/30/10 Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: 1:00pm-4:00pm (ONLINE)
This course investigates the causes of consequences of terrorism by reading, discussing, hearing, and watching first person accounts of participation in terrorism. We will examine prominent contemporary and historic al terror campaigns through the lens of the people involved. Most courses on terrorism examine secondary sources or information that is filtered by another person/source; this course is unique as it asks students to evaluate terrorist actions and goals through the participants own words.
- BSOS388L Behavioral and Social Sciences Special Topics: Terrorism in Small Wars; (3 credits), meets 07/12/10-08/22/10 Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:30pm-3:30pm
As the insurgency in Iraq intensified it quickly became clear that military commitments in the 21st century would look nothing like those of previous eras. Less clear, however, is how a conflict like Iraq differs from a conflict like Vietnam. They both involve a stronger power (the United States) trying to defeat a weaker power (al-Qaeda/NVA) that is making use of irregular methods, but there is a distinctness in the way al-Qaeda is waging war: the anti-civilian nature of the violence; the particular tactics (suicide attacks); and the lack of uniforms and desire to hold territory. It is, in effect, a blurring of the lines that separate terrorism from war. This course seeks to understand this new type of conflict by looking at the factors leading to the insurgents use of terrorism. To do this we will draw from the literature on terrorism and civil war, as well as documents from both insurgents and counterinsurgents.
If you are interested in registering for any of these classes or would like more information about registering for summer classes please visit:www.fc.umd.edu/.