This course studies the ways non-state groups use violence in pursuit of political goals. During the semester we will engage with contemporary research on political violence, including civil war, ethnic conflict, terrorism and communal riots. The goal of the course is to introduce students to major questions related to the study of political violence. What explains the onset of violence? Why do individuals choose to join violent movements? Is non-violent protest more effective than the use of violent tactics? During the semester, we will read a large volume of within-country and cross-national quantitative research on political violence and also examine several cases in detail, including ethnic riots in India, Rwandan genocide, and Kurdish conflict in Turkey. Note: This course counts towards the undergraduate Comparative OR International Politics subfield.
Course Attributes: EN S; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC
