A Violent Century

• • • Political violence and terrorism in the twentieth-century.
  • • Ideas and worldviews contributing to political violence and terrorism.
  • • Anti-colonial nationalist terrorist movements.
  • • Impact of technological changes on the effectiveness of terrorism.
  • • Counter-terrorism strategies.
  • • Application of the laws of armed conflict (Hague and Geneva) to modern conflicts involving non-state actors.
  • • Strategies of asymmetric warfare adopted by terrorists and insurgencies in their own defence planning.

Others

Prerequisites: Students must have completed 60 credit points at Level one.

Additional requirements

No additional requirements

In this subject, you will study the twentieth century, often characterised as the most violent century in history. We will consider world wars, including atrocities committed by the Nazis, attempted genocides of Indigenous and other peoples, and forced labour regimes using a global perspective. How did individuals, states and societies deal with atrocity and violence, both at the time, in its aftermath and in memory? We will evaluate the philosophical underpinnings that justified colonialism, the mass enslavement of human beings, and the thinking that allowed people to be traded as commodities and killed en masse. You will develop a sophisticated and complex understanding of the historical origins of human violence. You will explore why violence recurs and how it has been a driving force in history.

• Document Exercise (750 words) (20%)
• Major Research Essay (2000 words) (50%)
• Tutorial Portfolio (equivalent to 1250 words in total) (30%)

For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).