This course covers the history of terrorism in the Middle East from the end of the Second World War to the present struggle against ISIS. Terrorism is generally defined as the use of violence and threat against non-combatants to achieve political ends by individuals and political movements.

In this class we will look at a variety of terrorist movements and government responses beginning with the FLN in French Algeria. The course will then move on to examine jihadi terrorist groups, from Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah to al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Lashkar-e Taiba and ISIS. We will conclude with the problem of jihadi terrorist recruitment and radicalization in Western Europe and America today.

The introductory lectures are available to the general public as podcasts.