POL380H1S L5101

Topics in International Politics

Terrorists, Insurgents, Warlords and Pirates: New Security Challenges in the 21st Century

Themes

Since the end of the Cold War, and especially since September 11th, 2001, new security issues have proliferated in the international arena. Traditional inter-state conflict has been joined, and perhaps supplanted, by other forms of organized international violence. These have included civil war, state failure, transnational terrorism, guerrilla warfare and insurgency, warlordism, maritime piracy, and a range of other phenomena. This course surveys these new issues, to determine their causes and consequences. Further, it discusses both the strategies used in non-state violence and those used by states to attempt to overcome it. Why have new security threats proliferated over the last two decades? What approaches should states take to dealing with them? What strategies are employed by violent non-state actors, and what responses can states offer? Are these issues rightly addressed as security concerns?

Texts

To be made available on Blackboard

Format and Requirements

Research paper (35%), paper proposal (10%), in class test (35%), class participation (10%), presentation (10%).

Prerequisites

POL208H1 or POL208Y1 or POL209H5 or POLB80H3