Terrorism Studies (Minor)

The discipline of terrorism is a fluid topic.  Terrorism has existed for hundreds of years.   Yet since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, terrorism has become the top priority of US national and homeland security including the Intelligence Community, the DOD, FBI, CIA, DHS, and State Department.  Additionally, acts of terrorism have continued to challenge the national security interest of not only the United States, but of all her allies.  To combat the threats of terrorism, much has been done, and continues to be addressed in the domestic and international arenas.  The United States has taken drastic measures to create new laws and enhance existing ones to attempt to ensure terrorist attacks don’t reach the US.  Other nations have experienced their own issues with terrorism, whether it is Russia’s conflict with Chechen Rebels, Columbia’s war with FARC, or the effects on Mid East and African countries at the hand of Al Qaeda, al Shabaab, or Boko Haram.  The development of asymmetric tactics by terrorists and insurgencies worldwide affect governments, infrastructure, and world peace. 

The terrorism studies minor is both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, which means that some courses will explore phenomena primarily through one disciplinary lens whereas others will weave together different disciplinary perspectives.