How has the history of decolonialism and post-colonialism, and global inequality contributed to the developing threat of terrorism?/How are the pleas to uphold values
in the face of terrorism related to the social and political goals that followed WWII?/What do such terrorist acts offer in terms of challenges and opportunities for
institutions of civil society and/or global governance?
In Nice, France on the evening of Thursday, July 14, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a truck laden with munitions and explosives through a crowd celebrating Bastille
Day, killing dozens and injuring more. Days later the terrorist organization known as ISIS (a.k.a. Islamic State, ISIL, Daesh)claimed that Bouhlel was a soldier in
their ranks. The people of Nice joined their fellows in Paris along with people in the U.S., Belgium, Iraq Afghanistan and Somalia as victims of terrorist attacks in
2016.As often happens following such events, concerns arose around immigration, radicalization and some politicians made outlandish claims about the extent to which
the global Muslim population could and should be policed.
A few days after the Nice attacks, the New York Times editorial staff published an op-ed titled
“Our Best Defense Against Terrorism,” it can be found here:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/opinion/our-best-defense-against-terrorists.html
Their arguments and perspectives show how a global perspective is necessary in order to understand what is at stake in the worldwide engagement with terrorism. For
your final paper, you will demonstrate your understanding of how global terrorism relates to several themes of our class.
First, read the New York Times editorial. Then, write a 3-4 page paper (approximately 1200 words) attending to the following questions:
1. How has the history of decolonialism and post-colonialism, and global inequality contributed to the developing threat of terrorism?
2. How are the pleas to uphold values in the face of terrorism related to the social and political goals that followed WWII?
3. What do such terrorist acts offer in terms of challenges and opportunities for institutions of civil
society and/or global governance?
Your paper should be approximately 1200 words or about 3-4 pages. It must include references to at least 4 class readings (I will post it), and at least 3 news
articles (excluding the NY Times editorial)
from reputable sources. References to other course readings and lectures, as well as other books and articles are of course welcome. Citations are required for both
paraphrasing and direct quotes from either texts or lecture. Please include a full list of works cited at the end of your essay (this is in addition to the 1200 word
count).
