Terror to Terrorism: A History

Terror and terrorist acts are common events in the contemporary world, but much of the public debate about terrorism is ignorant of the long history of the phenomenon. This course explores the history of terror, terrorism and counter-terrorism around the globe since the late eighteenth century. Beginning with the birth of modern terrorism — 'The Terror' of Revolutionary France — it examines how terror has been used, justified, changed and fought. A series of case studies will seek to answer what distinguishes terrorism from other forms of violence, why it emerges, how it has changed and how it ends. Case studies include the French Revolution, anarchist terrorism, terror in the Russian Empire, lynching in the United States, Thugs and fanatics in India, aerial bombardment and drones, terror in the the Algerian War, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Northern Ireland, apartheid South Africa, the War on Terror and contemporary far-Right terror by White supremacists.