01. To locate the phenomenon of modern terrorism and insurgency in comparative historical perspective, across a wide range of historical, political, and cultural contexts.

Activities:

This will be done by close analysis of primary texts, which will be discussed and debated in tutorial, and across the lecture program. In the weekly reading, students will be exposed to competing arguments on the meaning of terrorist activity, and encouraged to evaluate their merits and implications in both tutorials and the two essays. Third year students will be expected to undertake a greater depth of research in their assessment, and engage with a wider range of examples.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Writing(Writing)

Speaking(Speaking)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

02. To understand the problems of developing a meaningful definition of terrorism, informed by history, philosophy, and law.

Activities:

Assimilation of relevant weekly subject reading, and activist engagement in tutorial debate and dialogue. Written assessment should also be informed by an awareness of the complexity of the problems of definition. Visual texts will be used alongside conventional historical texts in lectures. Third year students will be expected to demonstrate an appreciation for the implications that inhere in particular types of definition.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Writing(Writing)

Speaking(Speaking)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

Ethical & Cultural Awareness(Ethical & Cultural Awareness)

03. Demonstrate a comprehension of the ideas that have led to the adoption of terrorism and related forms of violence in a variety of contexts.

Activities:

Deployment of relevant comparative examples in essays, and in tutorial discussion. More broadly, students may identify common themes, patterns, and modes of thought that produce and encourage extremism and political violence. Debate will also be directed to consideration of possible options for reducing, resolving, and countering extremism, engaging students in a realistic exercise of problem solving, with reference to constraints. Third year students will be required to engage with the issue of comparative context in a way that extends beyond generalization and abstraction.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Speaking(Speaking)

Writing(Writing)

Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

04. Capacity to prepare and complete a substantial historical research project, supported by evidence and an awareness of competing arguments and views.

Activities:

The two pieces of summative written assessment place great emphasis on the careful use of historical evidence to support a clear argument, and explicitly discourages unsupported assertion and excessive description. Third year students shall invoke a more diverse range of primary evidence, and frame their arguments with more explicit reference to the historiography and relevant literature.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Writing(Writing)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

Speaking(Speaking)

05. Evaluate historical questions raised in weekly subject readings and lectures, and to formulate arguments and hypotheses based in evidence and specific examples.

Activities:

This will be demonstrated in the written assessment, which requires a focused response, with reference to the historiography; and in tutorial discussion, where competing views will be analysed and tested.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Writing(Writing)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Speaking(Speaking)

Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)