I Course Introduction:
To successfully complete this course, you will explain through discussions, essays, presentations, and via simulation exercise, the theories of domestic and international terrorism, and the response to terror by the criminal justice system through the concept of Homeland Security.
You will be exposed to the principles of critical thinking, and how to apply such thinking to make your analyses and explanations about the subjects at hand.
This syllabus should be considered as a contract between you as the student and I as the instructor in what is expected on both our parts to help you to succeed. The syllabus also includes all weekly assignments, due dates, and grading standards. This is why the syllabus is so long. There is a lot of information you need to have available.
II Instructor and Text Info:
Please call me Steve. My BA is in Government (UT's name for Political Science) from the University of Texas, and my MS in Criminal Justice/Homeland Security is from right here at South. My primary research interest is in domestic security, and I have focused on the FBI's COINTELPRO operations in my study. Other areas of research interest include the the politics of security, the balance of liberty verus security, and policing methods.
The BEST METHOD of contacting me is at:
My xxxxxx email address is at:
You may contact me through telephone, but it is not the best way to reach me.
I will be at TBD for an hour a week for help with the course
We will use the following textbooks:
(Books can be found at the University bookstore; VERIFY that you are purchasing the correct edition of the book)
Martin, G. (2003). Understanding terrorism: Challenges, perspectives, and issues. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Sauter, M., & Carafano, J. J. (2005). Homeland security: A complete guide to understanding, preventing, and surviving terrorism. New York: McGraw-Hill.
III Primary Concepts:
These are the issues you should be able to explain at the end of the course:
What is terrorism?
History of Terrorism
What types of terrorism are there?
What are the theories that explain terrorism?
How does the criminal justice system respond to homeland security?
What are the responsibilities of the criminal justice system?
What is homeland security?
How is homeland security organized?
What does the "liberty versus security" balance mean?
What is the first line of defense in Homeland Security?
The point of grading is to ensure that you are learning what you have set out to learn . I will include my grading rubrics (objective standards) as part of the syllabus.
If you do the reading assigned, show up in class, and turn in the essays on time, you should expect a C at a minimum. READING TAKES EFFORT, and it is not guaranteed that a once over of the material means that you will understand the material. There are approximately 70 pages a week to read and understand.
If you do the above, and participate meaningfully in class participation, you should expect a minimum of a B. The grading rubric should demonstrate what "meaningful" contributions to the discussion require.
If you do the above, and demonstrate that you are putting in additional study and thought, you will earn an A in this course.
If you have a disagreement with a grade i have given you, feel free to contact me by email or by appointment with a detailed reason as to why the grade should be higher. Remember that I am looking for understanding of material and effort when I assign grades.
[INSERT RUBRICS HERE]
I grade on a 1000-point basis, and I do not grade on the curve. Your grades are comprised of the following:
Discussion (350 points):
Discussion activities demonstrate that you are not only reading the material, but that you are thinking about the material and applying the things you already know to that thinking. Class attendance is part of your discussion grade.
Essays (350 points):
Essays are your test of reading comprehension. I will emphasize the comprehension portion of these assignments in grading, but I will also be available to help you with your writing skills. Essays will be short (1-2 pages with a MAXIMUM of 4 pages, plus a references page) and should be written in APA style. In the case that your reading has sparked your interest in a different topic relating to the reading, check with me about writing your essay on that topic.
Presentations (150 points):
Presentations will be short ( 3 to 5 minutes) and are intended for you to apply the material to an area of your own interest. Presentations also allow you to teach your fellow students, sharpening your own understanding of the subject. Accommodations will be made for shy students, but I am available to help you work on your public speaking skills ( a very long time ago, in a classroom far away, I was captain of the debate team...which is no great mark of my own speech skills du to the small size of that team!). You may create PowerPoint presentations, but you will need to print these out and pass them out. We will be avoiding dark rooms with bright screens as a method of transmitting information.
Simulation (150 points):
You will be assigned a role relating to the homeland security system at random at the beginning of the course. You will be expected to understand the role well enough to roleplay appropriate responses to the simulated exercise we will perform to complete the course.
Extra-credit is available per xxxxxxxxxxx University standards
V Classroom Structure (180 minutes)
Lecture OR Presentations 20 minutes
Discussion 20 miutes
Lecture 20 minutes
Discussion 20 minutes
Simulation Prep OR Critical thinking exercise OR Guest Speaker (20 minutes)
Discussion (20 minutes)
Review Previous Week (20 minutes) Why do this now? Integration of material
Discussion (20 minutes)
Due Date Reading Completed or Assignment
June 28 Lecture/Discussion- Syllabus Overview
June 28 Lecture/Discussion - Critical Thinking and Identifying Bias
June 28 Discussion - This Course and Your Goals/Your simulation Assignment
July 5 Week 1 Reading, Martin, Chapter 1 - Terrorism: First Impressions AND Martin, Chapter 2 -The Nature of the Beast: Defiing Terrorism
July 5 Lecture/Discussion - The Overreaction Cycle in American Security
July 5 Lecture/Discussion - Week 1 Readings
July 5 Critical Thinking Exercise - Why is Terrorism so hard to define?
July 5 Week 1 Essay DUE - "How does terrorism as a tactic relate to Just War theory?"
July 12 Week 2 Reading, Martin, Chapter 3, Beginnings: The Causes of Terrorism AND HANDOUT Davis, "Various Theories and their Limitations"
July 12 Presentation - "What is 'On the bounds' of terrorism: Your opinion" (Example: Is organizing a riot terrorism?)
July 12 Lecture/Discussion - Week 2 Readings
July 12 Critical Thinking Exercise - Are there other causes of terrorism than Martin provides?
July 12 Review/Discussion - Week 1 Essay
July 12 Week 2 Essay DUE - "Which theory of terrorism do you think is the best explanation for Terrorism?"
July 19 Week 3 Reading, Martin, Chapter 4- Terror From Above: Terrorism by the State AND Martin, Chapter 5- Terror From Below: Terrorism by Dissidents HANDOUT Levitt. Hizbollah financing
July 19 Lecture/Discussion - A history of political violence from below and above in America
July 19 Lecture/Discussion - Week 3 Reading
July 19 Critical Thinking Exercise - What are the obligations of government in balancing liberty versus security in a society affected by terrorism?
July 19 Review/Discussion - Week 2 Essay
July 19 Week 3 Essay DUE- "Can the Activities of Hezbollah in the United States be defined as terror from above, terror from below, or both?"
July 26 Week 4 Reading, Martin, Chapter 6- Violence in the Name of the Faith: Religious Terrorism
July 26 Presentation - Your Simulation Role, Teach the Class
July 26 Lecture/Discussion - Week 4 Reading
July 26 Critical Thinking Exercise - What is Islamphobia?
July 26 Review/Discussion - Week 3 Essay
July 26 Week 4 Essay DUE- "Should the example of Ku Klux Klan terrorism be discussed in a religious or political context?"
August 2 Week 5 Reading, Martin, Chapter 7-Violent Ideologies: Terrorism from the Left and Right
August 2 Lecture/Discussion - Overview of Martin
August 2 Critical Thinking Exercise - The limits of defining Left and Right
August 2 Critical Thinking Exercise - Where does narcoterror fit in our learning so far?
August 2 Review/Discussion - Week 4 Essay
August 2 Week 5 Essay DUE - "What does far left ideology have in common with far right facsim?"
August 9 Week 6 Reading, Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 1- Homeland Security: The American Tradition AND Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 2:The Road to 9/11: Contemporary Terrorism and the Meaning of the September 11 attacks AND Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 3 - The Birth of Contemporary Homeland Security: The National Response to 9/11 and it's Aftermath (80 pages)
August 9 Presentation - How did 9/11 Affect Your view of the World
August 9 Lecture/Discussion - Week 6 Reading
August 9 Critical Thinking Exercise - Pros and Cons of the PATRIOT Act
August 9 Review/Discussion - Week 5 Essay
August 9 Week 6 Essay DUE - "How were the 9/11 attacks different from previous terror attacks in America?"
August 16 Week 7 Reading Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 4 Homeland Security Roles, responsibilities and Jurisdictions: International, Federal, State and Local Government and Private Sector Responsibilities AND Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 5- Thinking Homeland Security: Theory, Strategy, Decision-Making, Planning and Analysis Tools AND HANDOUT Davis, "Terrorism and Risk Management"
August 16 Lecture/Discussion - Week 7 Reading
August 16 Critical Thinking Exercise - Bureaucratic Politics
August 16 Simulation Workshop - Building your interagency teams
August 16 Review/Discussion - Week 6 Essay
August 16 Week 7 Essay DUE - "Do you think that the creation of the Department of Homeland Security made homeland security operations more, or less effecient?"
August 23 Week 8 Reading Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 6- Intelligence for Homeland Security: Process, Methods, Structure, and Resources AND Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 7- Domestic Counterterrorism: Investigating, Preventing, and responding to Terrorist Plots AND HANDOUT Powers, A Bomb with a long fuse
August 23 Lecture/Discussion - Week 8 Reading
August 23 Critical Thinking Exercise - Was COINTELPRO legal or moral? Did that status change over time?
August 23 Critical Thinking Exercise - What is OSINT? Is it effective?
August 23 Review/Discussion - Week 7 Essay
August 23 Week 8 Essay DUE - "How is the intelligence cycle used in planning counterterrorist operations?"
August 30 Week 9 Reading Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 8- Homeland Defense and Support to Civil Authorities: Military Support for Homeland Security AND Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 9- Incident Management and Emergency Management:Responding to Human-made and Natural Disasters
August 30 Presentation - Your Simulation Role, Agency Response Plan to Terror Events
August 30 Lecture/Discussion - Week 9 Reading
August 30 Lecture/Discussion - Overview of Reading, Sauter & Carafano; brief discussion of WMD
August 30 Critical Thinking Exercise - Katrina and the Branch Davidians, what went wrong?
August 30 Week 9 Essay DUE - "What part does FEMA play in responding to terror acts? Does FEMA respond to all terror attacks?"
August 30 Your Week 8 Essay will be returned to you, but discussion is postponed for the last class session
September 6 Week 10 Reading Reading Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 16 Critical Infrasturture Protection and Key Assets: Protecting America's Most Important Targets AND Reading Sauter & Carafano, Chapter 20- Domain Security: Border, Maritime, and Aviation Security AND Chapter 21- Cybersecurity: Protecting Cyberspace and Digital Technology
September 6 Simulation Exercise...prepare to display your knowledge! (60 minutes total)
September 6 Simulation Discussion
September 6 Review/Discussion - Papers Week 8 & 9
September 6 Course Evaluation and Discussion
September 6 Week 10 Essay DUE - "How does an insecure border affect homeland security?"
VIII Mutual Expectations
What you should expect from me
I will help you make your target grade for the course, A, B, or C. I want you to get an A.
Courtesy and encouragement to succeed
Return assignments within 1 week
I have a bias, you should not be expected to learn my bias, but rather the course material.
My voice can be weak; feel free to ask me to be louder during lecture
Out of class session 1/week
Provide a safe place to stretch your brain
"Safe doesn’t mean that there won’t be controversy, and it doesn’t mean that people will not disagree with each other, but it ought to mean that people will feel they can venture ideas, express minority views, and disagree with others."
Areas of potential offense
Islam and Terrorism
What I expect from you
To read the material, to be in class on time, to undertstand XXXX policies, courtesy, honesty
Cell Phones should be on vibrate and out of your hands during class
Class ends 5 minutes early - don’t pack up until then
Fraud, Cheating, Plagiarism - What are they, and don't do them
There are no stupid questions, only impatient professors. Your knowledge is more important than my need to go get pizza, so ASK questions.
Speak up if confused
Help other students
Don't stress out, odds are you won't remember the class in a year.
I will give you 1 card at the beginning of the term. This is a "get out of jail" card you can use for a tardiness, late assignment, or missed class (but NOT for any assignments due that class). Write "Stuff Happens" on the card, put your name on it, and give it to me. You are forgiven for whatever the issue was with no explanation necessary.
Since Stuff can Happen more than once, I will listen to excuses and allow make-up work for additional instances...up to a point. The policies of xxxx University are the first line I will not cross. The point at which I can not assist other students due to a backload of late assignments is the next line I can't cross.
VIII xxxxxx Student Policy
[Please sign and detach this portion of the syllabus, I will collect these after reviewing the syllabus]