Seminar in International Relations: Violent Non-State Actors in World Politics

Violent non-state actors have become an increasingly prominent security concern in international relations. The events of September 11, 2001 quickly moved terrorism and insurgency to the forefront of U.S. security concerns. While the threat from violent non-state actors is relatively new as a top security concern for the U.S., many countries and regions of the world have long dealt with severe forms of political violence as a top security concern and a factor in everyday life. In this course, we examine violent non-state actors from several distinct angles and develop a solid understanding of their historical role.