Admission requirements
Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management, enrolled in the specialisation ‘Governance of Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism’, can take this course.
Description
What motivates someone to carry out a terrorist attack? Why do people ‘radicalize’ and adopt extremist views in the first place? How well do we actually understand the processes behind such behaviour and how effective are preventative policies? By addressing such questions, this course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the pathways leading people into, as well as out of, extremism and terrorism. The course focuses on the radicalizing individual, but takes a multilevel analytical perspective by exploring relevant influences at the group, movement and structural-levels as well. In addition to such theory-driven perspectives on radicalization processes, the course provides insights into contemporary developments in the extremist threat landscape, for instance by discussing right-wing and anti-institutional extremism, polarization and conspiracy thinking. Throughout its seven weeks, the course combines content-driven lectures with in-class exercises that will help students master relevant theoretical insights as well hone their ability to carry out critical evaluations, challenging core assumptions about the nature of the contemporary terrorist threat and how best to deal with it. Guest lectures will complement research-driven presentations with practitioner-based perspectives, ensuring that students obtain a broad appreciation of what radicalization, and efforts to counter it, look like in theory as well as practice.
Research skill: Critical evaluation
This skill focuses on the critical evaluation of the production, utilization, and/or impact of knowledge. Students may encounter questions such as: Are outcomes, claims, and conclusions valid and convincing? Are they supported with relevant empirical data? Was the methodology sound? What are the assumptions underpinning specific research? How is specific research utilized? What is the impact of research on policy and society? Examples of how the critical evaluation skill could be used in this course include gauging the accuracy of terrorist threat assessments, the utility of academic insights for addressing such threats, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of academic research on these topics.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the most relevant theories, models and insights affecting individual pathways into, and out of, extremism and terrorism;
2. Understand why most people who radicalize will never actually become involved in the use of terrorist violence;
3. Describe the contemporary extremist threat landscape facing Western societies;
4. Critically assess how academic knowledge on radicalization and terrorism is produced;
5. Critically appraise the utilization and impact of such knowledge on understanding and preventing radicalization and terrorism;
6. Self-evaluate and reflect on their ability to achieve the course objectives through in-class participation, self-study, and portfolio development.
Timetable
On the right side of programme front page of the studyguide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of Instruction
A combination of interactive lectures and activating workgroups (two sessions per week). In the lectures, students will learn about the most relevant concepts, theories, models and empirical insights for understanding how and why individuals become involved in extremism and terrorism, and what may bring them to deradicalize or disengage. During the workgroups, the focus will shift towards individual and (or) group-based exercises designed to a) help students master the course content, and b) hone their critical evaluation skills.
Through in-class feedback, and because each exercise complements the previous one, students will become incrementally more skilled in critical evaluation and the utilization of theory to explore real-life phenomena. The end-result of this process will be a graded written assignment that students have already partially developed in-class. Guest lectures ensure that students learn from academic experts as well as professionals tasked with preventing extremism. The guest lectures also serve as an opportunity to explore potential career opportunities. The course will be completed by a written exam which tests students’ knowledge and theoretical understanding. Exam preparation is facilitated by the in-class exercises and a final session dedicated to reviewing what has been learned.
Attendance is mandatory. Students are only allowed to miss more than one session if there are special, demonstrable personal circumstances. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will decide on such an exceptional exemption of mandatory attendance.
Total study load: 280 hours
Contact hours: 42 hours (the bi-weekly sessions)
Self-study (reading, preparing lectures, assignments, etc.): 238 hours
In this 10 ECTS course, we will focus specifically on the critical evaluation skill that is going to be part of students’ portfolio. Specific information on the portfolio assignment and the intended learning outcomes that are being acquired will be published in the syllabus of this course.
Assessment method
This course contains two graded assessments, and one formative assessment:
Group-based assignment (Foundation for critical evaluation paper)
Formative, so not graded;
Mandatory, students must hand in this assignment to get a ‘pass’
Concise in-class feedback to help students develop their critical-evaluation skill;
Resit not applicable.
Individual assignment (Paper focused on critical evaluation skill)
60% of final grade;
Resit is possible;
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course;
Resit takes the same form.
Individual final assignment (Written exam)
40% of final grade;
Resit is possible;
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course;
Resit takes the same form.
The calculated overall course grade must be at least 5.50 in order to pass the course.
Attendance is mandatory. Students are only allowed to miss more than one session if there are special, demonstrable personal circumstances. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will decide on such an exceptional exemption of mandatory attendance.
In the case of written assessment methods, the examiner can always initiate a follow-up conversation with the student to establish whether the learning objectives have been met.
Transitional arrangements
Please be aware that passed partial grades obtained in academic year 2025-2026 are no longer valid during academic year 2026-2027.
Reading list
A selection of books and articles, to be specified in the syllabus that will be announced through Brightspace no later than 1 week before the start of class.
Registration
Register yourself via MyStudymap for each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams).
Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this course is possible from Wednesday 10 December 2025, 13:00 h
Please note: Registration for the resit of an exam (and exam) is mandatory, this has to be done by the student and can be done from Monday 4 May 2026 until 10 days before the exam. Until 5 days before the exam you can email OSC and fill in a form.
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.
Contact
Prof. dr. Bart Schuurman [mailto:b.w.schuurman@fgga.leidenuniv.nl]
Remarks
Please see the syllabus and in-class office hours as your first points of call for questions, and use e-mail only for particularly pressing issues.