TERRORISM      Dr Jack's Loft ©2008

   FINAL WEEK Spring 2014   

   
 Go to St Patrick's Day Parade (Pittsburgh 2012) Security Photos

Kent State University Spring 2014    ©
TTh 12:30-1:45 Room 316


Listen, ask, think, believe, persevere and become that which you respect because you have constructed yourself from the self that you like.


 

   Assignments:   counterTerrorism...   

 Final Exam paper submit - Monday, 10 AM, My Office...  


Exam format for the Spring 2014 semester: 
    
In a thoughtfully written paper, following guidelines of The Survival Manual, choose three articles from the Terrorism Box in the library. Evaluate each using principles and theory discussed in the appropriate quarter. Once an article is discussed it can not be used again. Are there theoretical consistencies among the articles? Criticize fairly and objectively. Leave personal feelings and agendas aside. NB: References from the internet, especially Wikipedia, are not acceptable.


 LECTURE NOTES:   

  28 to 30 April; 1, 2 May 2014   FINAL EXAM MY OFFICE MONDAY  10 AM  The contemporary terrorist wants wide publication of their behaviour so targets must be selected carefully for their importance and impact. They also want and cater to certain media that will be sympathetic to their cause and place it on the air with some semblance of importance. Counterterroristic activities are aware of these issues and make an effort to monitor and stop the terrorist through the venues they use. There also has to be a combined effort by the security agencies to pool their knowledge. In the past, there is some suggestion that egos and isolation have gotten in the way of top class homeland security in the United States. The terrorist has developed a new kind of warfare and it is effective so that to think that the capture or killing of one leader will make terrorism go away is a mistake. The cell system prevents that and for every terrorist captured and killed, there are probably two more secretly hiding away, totally knowledgeable and ready to strike when the time comes!

  14 to 18 April 2014    There is still a problem with the exams. It is not enough to just reiterate the three articles. Anybody can do that! The student writer MUST EXPLAIN the article with that which they learned from lectures and the text. For example: "A description of an article THEN this is illustrated by such and such in the text." There were MANY exams that were potential "A+"s, but were not because of just this problem with writing. This is a university, NOT a high school where they spit back what they see on the internet and get an "A". Universities are about thinking and making insights into the commonplace. In our class, the articles are just pragmatic manifestations of that which can be universally explained through theoretical dispositions.  If this is not understood, then come to my office, exam in hand, and we will go over it period by period. Another facet - LEARN TO REFERENCE. If someone else that is an authority said it or you are borrowing it - REFERENCE IT! You must back up what you say with supported textual background.  

  1 to 4 April 2014    The role of the media in terrorism is a crucial one. The media can be an enabler and also used as a weapon. This idea of a weapon is subtle, but does exist. For instance, the media is extremely gullible accepting any news concerning terrorist activities include news from the terrorists themselves. The media are well aware of the sensationalistic properties of terrorist activities because it brings readers to their station and thus money. The terrorist then may give the media articles of activity that are immediately placed on the air. Now various agencies are alerted to that theater of operation, yet the terrorists may strike at someplace else which has not been observed - using the media as a weapon.