Instructor: Remi Brulin, Visiting Research Fellow, PhD La Sorbonne, Paris

Transcription

1 E Language and Culture Department of Media, Culture, and Communication New York University. War and Terrorism: Framing the Politics of Conflict Instructor: Remi Brulin, Visiting Research Fellow, PhD La Sorbonne, Paris Overview : Through the study of several historical cases spanning several decades and various continents, this course will examine the complexities involved in defining the concept of terrorism and try to determine how this term has been used in the American political discourse in order to shape public opinion, and frame specific conflicts and policy proposals. As a class, we will try to reflect on the ethical, moral and political questions surrounding the question of terrorism, and will examine how the American media has covered or talked or written about terrorism through the years. Throughout the semester, we will attempt to remain aware of contemporary events and, as they happen, to study how the media in the US and abroad covers them. Required Texts : Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree : An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, Bloomsbury, Course packet containing most of the texts mentioned below. Assignments and Grading : Project Proposal (probably February 20) Project Draft (probably April 3) 40 % Final Project Essay... Midterm Exam (probably March 27).. 20 % Weekly Presentations / Debates Short Weekly Essays 20 % Attendance and Contribution during Classes % Final Research Paper : Each student will produce a page long final paper. It must be typewritten, with the student s name, date, and essay title on the cover page. Consultation of a formal style manual is highly recommended, and plagiarism will not be tolerated (University rules and guidelines can easily be consulted on this subject.) The final paper will be submitted on time, as will the project proposal and the project draft. 1

2 Criteria : In order to grade your performances as you participate in class discussions, make a presentation, take part in a class debate and write your final research paper, I will determine to what extent you managed to reach the following objectives : Evaluating Sources of Information : The ability to chose from among alternative sources the most reliable and accurate source in relation to a given subject. Separating Fact from Opinion : The ability to make the basic distinction between factual statements (those that can be demonstrated or verified empirically) and statements of opinion those that are beliefs or attitudes that cannot be proved.) Identifying Stereotypes : The ability to identify oversimplified, exaggerated descriptions favorable or unfavorable) about people and insulting statements about racial, religious or national groups, based upon misinformation or lack of information. Recognizing Ethnocentrism : The ability to recognize attitudes or opinions that express the view that one s own race, culture, or group is inherently superior, or those attitudes that judge another culture or group in terms of one s own. Schedule of Classes and Readings : The following is a working schedule. Class materials are subject to change based on the interests, understanding, and general pace of the class. Week 1 : Nicholas Perry, The Numerous Federal Legal Definitions of Terrorism: The Problems of too Many Grails, Journal of Legislation (2004). Daniel Okrent, The War of the Words, The New York Times, March 6, Week 2 : Michael Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars, passage on Jus ad bellum and in bello. Brian Jenkins, International Terrorism : The Other World War, November 1985 RAND report. Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism, Chapter 1 (with Review of the book from The New York Times.) Theodore Seto, The Morality of Terrorism, 35 Loy. L. A. L. Rev., Boaz Ganor, Is One Man s Terrorist Another Man s Freedom Fighter? History of the use of the term terrorism in presidential speeches from Roosevelt to Carter (Primary sources : Data from the Papers of the President of the United States.) Week 3: 2

3 Robert Kelly, Is Terrorism Always Wrong? Brian Jenkins, Statements on Terrorism, Annals of the American Academy of Political Science, Best and Nocella, Defining Terrorism, p 1-7. Peter Sederberg, Terrorist Myths, Chapter 2, The Meaning of Terrorism. Benjamín Netanyahu, Three Key Principles in the War Against Terrorism, Speeches by George Shultz and Ronald Reagan on terrorism. UN General Assembly Debates on self determination and the issue of the use of force in the context of national liberation struggles. (Primary sources : data from the UN Archives.) UN General Assembly Debates on International Terrorism in (Primary sources : data from the UN Archives.) Week 4: The Question of State Terrorism Mark Burgess, CDI, Terrorism : The Problem of Definition. Michael Stohl, The Politics of Terrorism, Chapter 1. Gus Martin, Understanding Terrorism, Chapter 4. Michael Stohl and George Lopez, The State as Terrorist, Introduction and Chapter 2. Hoffman, Inside Terrorism, Chapter I. The UN General Assembly Debates on International Terrorism from 1972 to now : Does state terrorism exist? (Primary sources : data from the UN Archives.) Week 5 : The Media and Terrorism David Mindich, Just the Facts, Chapter 1 and Conclusion. p 1-14 and p Jonathan Mermin, Debating War and Peace, Chapter 1. Paletz and Schmidt, Terrorism and the Media, Chapter 1. Daniel Hallin, The Uncensored War, p Pippa Norris, Framing Terrorism, p Gus Martin, Understanding Terrorism, Chapter 11. CBC News Online, Terrorists and Freedom Fighters. Robert Entman, Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm, Journal of Communication, Clark Hoyt, Separating the Terror and the Terrorists, The New York Times, December 14, Week 6 : World War II and terrorism The Nuremberg Trials and the use of the term terrorism. (Primary Sources : Documents from the Nuremberg Trials, accessible online) President Roosevelt and the terrorism of Nazi aerial bombings. Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars. Caleb Carr, The Lessons of Terror. Beau Grosscup, Strategic Terror, Chapter 2 and 4. 3

4 Week 7 : The Algerian War of Independence. Self determination, the use of force and terrorism. (Primary Sources : Debates at the UN General Assembly.) Jonathan Shell, The Unconquerable World, Chapter 3. George Andreopoulos, The Laws of War, Chapter 11. DVD : The Battle of Algiers. Week 8 : The Vietnam War : President Johnson, the Vietcong and terrorism. (Primary Sources : The Public Papers of the President). Nixon on Vietnam (Primary Sources : The Nixon Tapes). Richard Shultz, Breaking the Will of the Enemy during the Vietnam War: The Operationalization of the Cost-Benefit Model of Counterinsurgency Warfare, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 15, No. 2 (1978.) Richard Shultz, The Limits of Terrorism in Insurgency Warfare: The Case of the Viet Cong, Polity, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Autumn, 1978), pp The US Senate Hearings on the Phoenix Program (Primary Sources : various hearings on the subject.) Weeks 9 : South Africa. Christian Science Monitor website : Why I fought, why I forgave. Richard Falk, Functionaries and Revolutionaries. Johns and Davis, Mandela, Tambo and the African National Congress, Documents. The US Congress and the ANC in the 1980s : documents on the Anti-Apartheid Act of (Primary Sources.) Comparison of the Platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties in 1988 : is the ANC a terrorist organization or is the South African regime a terrorist state? (Primary Sources.) Weeks : The American Discourse on terrorism in the 1980 s: the first war on terrorism. The Israeli discourse on international terrorism at the UN General Assembly in the 1970s. (Primary Sources : UN Archives.) The two Jonathan Institute conferences on International Terrorism : 1979 and (Primary Sources : Transcripts of all the speeches given during these conferences.) Transcripts of hearings of the Denton Sub-Committee on International Terrorism. 4

5 Transcripts of various Congressional Hearings throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 200S on conflicts in Central America and the Middle East. Transcripts of debates on specific pieces of legislation regarding terrorism. (Primary Sources : US Government Archives.) Specific speeches by US Officials (Alexander Haig, George Shultz, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, ) Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports for various Latin American countries. (Primary Sources : UN Documents.) Claire Sterling, «Who Were Those «Student» Terrorists?,» The Washington Post, January 23, Claire Sterling, «Terrorism: Tracing the International Network,» The New York Times Magazine, March 1, 1981 Terrorism : Opposing Viewpoints, Chapter 4 : Do The Superpowers Sponsor Terrorism?, 1991, p Michael Stohl, The Politics of Terrorism, p Richard Falk, Western State Terrorism, p Robert Taylor and Harry Vanden, Defining Terrorism in El Salvador: La Matanza, Annals of the American Academy of Political Science, Noam Chomsky, Power and Terror, p and p Frederick Gareau, State Terrorism and the United States, selected excerpts. Week 12 : 9/11 and the second War on terrorism Main speeches by President Bush and other US officials. The 9/11 Commission Report. Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, selected excerpts. Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, selected excerpts. Terrorism : Opposing Viewpoints, 2006, p Ivan Eland, Does US Intervention Overseas Breed Terrorism? The Historical Record, CATO Institute, Jeffrey Record, Bounding the GWOT. Stephen Holmes, The Matador s Cape, selected excerpts. RAND Report, How Terrorist Groups End : Implications for Countering Al Qaeda, Week 13 : The ethics of fighting terrorism. Civil Liberties. The question of torture. Terrorism : Opposing Viewpoints, 2006, p Fox TV s 24 and the question of the ticking time bomb scenario. Human Rights First campaign on torture. Alan Dershowitz, Why Terrorism Works. Alfred McCoy, A Question of Torture. 5

6 Week : The Middle East : The two Jonathan Institute conferences on International Terrorism : 1979 and (Primary Sources : Transcripts of all the speeches given during these conferences.) Transcripts of various Congressional Hearings throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s on the Middle East conflict, and especially on the issue of negotiations with the PLO and the renunciation of terrorism condition. (Primary Sources : US Government Archives.) Sandi Tolan, The Lemon Tree. Yassir Arafat, United Nations General Assembly November 1974 speech. Lawrence Pintak, Reflections in a Bloodshot Lens, Chapter 3. DVD : What Arabs Say about Terrorism. Alan Deshowitz, Why Terrorism Works. Michael Ledeen, The War against the Terror Masters. Norman Finkelstein, Beyond Chutzpah. Edward Said, The Essential Terrorist, The Nation, June