Final Research Paper
-An examination of a terrorist or terrorist group/organization
-At least 8-10 pages (not counting cover pages, works cited)
-At least four relevant academic/scholarly sources
Tasks
-Select a terrorist group covered in the course text (check with the professor if you have any questions or concerns about whether the group is appropriate to examine). You can choose an existing or historical terrorist or group; as such, please adjust your answers accordingly. (Al Qaeda)
-Categorize the group with respect to one of the typologies provided in the course text.
-Explain why you have identified this group in this way, with respect to the nature of its goals and the relationship to the community. For example, you could refer to the chapter categorizations (e.g. top-down [state], bottom-up [dissident], religion, and international).
-Justify your reasoning. It is not enough to state that the book includes the group in that chapter, so it must be true!
-For the categorizations, please highlight what your group has in common with other similar groups, as well as what makes it unique.
-Discuss the historical context of the terrorist or group and use this to situate your discussion.
-What was it about this context that enabled the terrorist or group to emerge and gain some level of power or influence?
-How did/does it/they function? Who were/are they/its leaders, influences? How was/is the organization structured, and how was/is it (or they) financed?
-What were/are its strategic goals?
-How did/could the terrorist or group end or lose influence? What measures were/could be taken by governments to undermine the individual or group? If a historical example, did the government interventions matter? Why or why not? If current, how influential do you think any government actions would be in undermining the group?
-What was/is the terrorist or group’s impact on society more broadly? How have they influenced political systems and government policy, culture, and other terrorist groups worldwide?
