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? Why do most people who radicalize not become involved in terrorist violence? What can be done to prevent radicalization or re-integrate those who have committed extremism-related offenses? 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 as the literature review skill. 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.
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. Apply the systematic literature-review method to find and summarize insights relevant to individuals’ pathways in and out of extremism;
5. Use the literature-review skill to write a theory-driven case study of radicalization leading to terrorism.
6. Self-evaluate and reflect on their ability to achieve the course objectives through in-class participation and self-study.
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 exercises designed to a) help students master the course content, b) teach them the literature-review method, and c) allow them to combine theoretical insights and research skills to gain insights into real-world examples of extremism and terrorism. Through in-class feedback, a formative (non-graded) assignment testing the literature-review skill, and because each exercise ‘stacks’ on the previous one, students will become incrementally more skilled in conducting literature reviews and the utilization of theory to explore real-life phenomena. The end-result of this process will be a graded written assignment based on the literature-review method that students have already partially developed in-class. Guest lectures ensure that students learn from a range of recognized academic experts as well as professionals tasked with preventing extremism. The course will be completed by a written exam in which essay-type questions tests students’ knowledge and theoretical understanding.
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 on the research skill literature review assignment that is going to be part of your 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, non-graded assessment.
Individual assignment (Literature review)
Formative, not graded;
Concise in-class feedback to help students develop the literature-review skill;
Mandatory, students must hand in this assignment to get a ‘pass’;
Resit not applicable.
Individual assignment (Systematic literature review)
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.
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 arrangement
The course Extremism in a Global Context will not be offered in the academic year 2024-2025 following the restructuring of the Governance of Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism specialisation. For those students who need this course to complete their programme the course Becoming Radicalized: Pathways into and out of Extremism can be used as a substitute. Passed partial grade for Extremism in a Global Context are not valid for the course on Becoming Radicalized: Pathways into and out of Extremism. Please note: Students who participated in Extremism in a Global Context in the academic year 2023-2024, but did not manage to pass the course can apply to the Board of Examiners to be allowed one final re-take for the course Extremism in a Global Context in the academic year 2024-2025, but only if this is the last course they need to pass in order to graduate.
Please be aware that passed partial grades obtained in academic year 2024-2025 are no longer valid during academic year 2025-2026.
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 12 July 13.00h
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
Dr. Bart Schuurman 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.