Introduction

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 not only cost some 3,000 lives; they also deeply scarred the American consciousness and made a deep impact on both US foreign policy and the world at large. This module aims to help you understand the nature of terrorism in the post-9/11 world, including its causes, manifestations and ideologies. The module assesses the wider consequences of 9/11 on domestic and world politics, along with the military and political response of the US and the UK to terrorist threats and the changing role of the media (via such methods as embedded reporting), and explores how the British state attempts to balance security and civil liberty in the face of the sudden and shocking arrival of home-grown terrorism on its shores. This is a short course, covering international politics and media sociology.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Construct an argument with appropriate use of evidence, concepts and theories from the humanities and social sciences
• Communicate arguments, ideas and conclusions effectively, using styles and language appropriate to the subject, and be aware of your purpose and audience
• Demonstrate a familiarity with and ability to selectively and appropriately refer to key concepts, theories and debates relevant to understanding the phenomenon of and debates about contemporary terrorism and the international consequences of 9/11.