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IR5851 Explaining Terrorism: History, Ideology, and Tactics in Political Violence

Academic year

2026 to 2027 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available to students studying the online MLitt in Terrorism, Extremism and Political Violence

Module coordinator

Dr D Muro

Dr D Muro
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Diego Muro

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module introduces terrorism and political violence through conceptual debates, historical context, and contemporary analysis. Students explore definitions, justifications, and ideological variations across political and cultural settings. It traces the evolution of terrorist movements (from nationalist and revolutionary to religious and digitally networked) while examining radicalisation, disengagement, organisational strategies, and technological innovation. Key tactics such as suicide attacks, online recruitment, and cyber operations are analysed alongside counterterrorism approaches in liberal democracies, balancing effectiveness with ethical and legal constraints. The module provides foundational knowledge for advanced study in terrorism, extremism, and political violence.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

No fixed weekly contact hours but asynchronous teaching.

Scheduled learning hours

6

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

138

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate competing definitions of terrorism and distinguish terrorism from other forms of political violence across historical and contemporary contexts.
  • Analyse the historical trajectories, ideological roots, and structural drivers of terrorism, identifying continuities and ruptures across time and regions.
  • Assess terrorist organisations鈥� strategic choices, tactics, and target selection using empirical case鈥恠tudy evidence.
  • Synthesise academic literature, primary sources and data to design a coherent research agenda or essay plan on a terrorism-related question.
  • Communicate complex arguments and policy implications clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences via written formats, demonstrating ethical awareness and critical judgment.