Students

PICT8037 – Choosing Terror: Pathways into Terrorism

2020 – Session 2, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lise Waldek
lise.waldek@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MPICT or MCPICT or GradDipPICT or GradDipCPICT or PGCertPICT or GradCertPICT or GradCertCPICT or MPICTMIntSecSt or MCPICTMIntSecSt or MIntSecStud or GradDipIntSecStud or MCTerrorism or MCyberSec or MSecStrategicStudMCTerrorism or MIntellMCTerrorism or MCyberSecMCTerrorism or MCTerrorismMCrim or admission to BSecStudMCTerrorism
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
PICX8037
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines the complex webs of networks and relationships involved in the development and evolution of violent extremism. These dynamics will be examined through a socio-cultural theoretical framework that draws upon contemporary terrorist scholarship including social media analysis and facilitates a critical examination of violent extremism. The unit will expose students to the complex web of socio-cultural, psychological, ideological, political and economic dynamics that produce, sustain, evolve and dissolve terrorism and violent extremism. Real world case-studies drawing on violent extremist activities, counter policies and initiatives will assist students in the formulation of sustained and persuasive arguments and techniques relating to current and future trends and patterns in the field of terrorist studies. The unit will establish a strong grounding in the theoretical constructs and techniques for a future career in the broader security discipline.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify, examine and analyse texts, concepts and theories relating to the social construction of terrorism and violent extremism
  • ULO2: Identify, investigate and evaluate the dynamics that impact on the development, evolution and dissolution of terrorism and violent extremism
  • ULO3: Critique contemporary literature relating to concepts of terrorism and violent extremism
  • ULO4: Formulate sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments that demonstrates the ability to select and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate higher-level skills in critical analysis

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply - two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date - and (b) no assignment will  be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - e.g. quizzes, online tests. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research Essay 50% No Week 11 25/10/2020
Active Engagement 10% No Weekly
Quiz 10% No Week 13 08/11/2020
Policy memo 30% No Week 5 30/08/2020

Research Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Week 11 25/10/2020
Weighting: 50%

 

Students will select one essay question from the list provided to all students on the unit iLearn site. The essay questions are drawn from the material and content covered over the 13 weeks of the unit. The research essay provides students an opportunity to develop core disciplinary knowledge, enhance research and critical thinking skills, demonstrate effective written communication skills and demonstrate originality.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, examine and analyse texts, concepts and theories relating to the social construction of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Identify, investigate and evaluate the dynamics that impact on the development, evolution and dissolution of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Critique contemporary literature relating to concepts of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Formulate sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments that demonstrates the ability to select and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
  • Demonstrate higher-level skills in critical analysis

Active Engagement

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 13 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%

 

Active engagement refers to the demonstration of sustained, informed, and critical contributions to seminars and online forums, the demonstration of reflective intellectual practice, the completion of the weekly online or in-class tasks, and the demonstration that you have engaged with the set materials for the course.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, examine and analyse texts, concepts and theories relating to the social construction of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Identify, investigate and evaluate the dynamics that impact on the development, evolution and dissolution of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Demonstrate higher-level skills in critical analysis

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 2 hours
Due: Week 13 08/11/2020
Weighting: 10%

 

The quiz will include questions drawn from the weekly lectures and the required reading materials for the unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, examine and analyse texts, concepts and theories relating to the social construction of terrorism and violent extremism

Policy memo

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 5 30/08/2020
Weighting: 30%

 

The Policy Memo is a concise 1,000 word written brief addressed to a high-level policy-maker considering a governments response to a particular situation arising from a current and relevant violent extremist challenge. The memo will identify and analyze the factors that should inform the policy-makers decision, and recommend a particular course of action.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify, examine and analyse texts, concepts and theories relating to the social construction of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Identify, investigate and evaluate the dynamics that impact on the development, evolution and dissolution of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Critique contemporary literature relating to concepts of terrorism and violent extremism
  • Formulate sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments that demonstrates the ability to select and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
  • Demonstrate higher-level skills in critical analysis

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY AND RESOURCES

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

  • You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, participating in iLearn discussion forums and preparing assessments. 
  • Internal students are expected to attend all seminar and tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.
  • In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major assessment tasks in order to pass the unit. 

REQUIRED READINGS

  • The citations for all of the required readings for this unit are available to enrolled students through the unit iLearn site, and at Macquarie University's library site. Electronic copies of required readings may be accessed through the library or will be made available by other means.

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

  • Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement. 
  • This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au
  • Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.
  • Information about IT used for this unit is available at https://students.mq.edu.au/it_services/

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • All text based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked, and returned electronically. This will only happen through the unit iLearn site.
  • Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS Word document by the due date.
  • Most assessment tasks will be subjected to a 'Turnitin' review as an automatic part of the submission process.
  • The granting of extensions is subject to the university's Disruption Policy. Extensions will not in normal circumstances be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through Disruption to Study: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration/disruption-to-studies

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approve, a penalty for lateness will apply:
    • Two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date 
    • No assignment will be accepted seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.
    • No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests. 

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.
  • Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.
  • If the number of words exceeds the limit by more than 10%, penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words over the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER

  • Macquarie University operates a Grade Appeal Policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately: http://student.mq.edu.au/support/complaints_appeals/appeals/grade_appeals/
  • Conforming to the Grade Appeal Policy, individual works are not subject to regrading

STAFF AVAILABILITY

  • Department staff will endeavor to answer student enquiries in a timely manner. However, emails or iLearn messages will not usually be answered over the weekend or public holiday period.
  • Students are encouraged to read the Unit Guide and look at instructions posted on the iLearn site before sending email requests to staff.

Unit Schedule

Please note that the schedule may change depending on the availability of expert speakers.

DATE

TOPIC

Week 1

 

Introduction: Who is a Terrorist?

 

Week 2

 

Critical Debates in Terrorism Studies: Structure

 

 

Critical Debates in Terrorism Studies: Psychology, Profiles and Risk

Week 4

 

Critical Debates in Terrorism Studies: Networks

Week 5

 

Critical Debates in Terrorism Studies: Radicalisation

Week 6

 

Ideology and Religion

Week 7

 

Terrorist Financing

 

RECESS

 

RECESS

Week 8

 

Gender and Terrorism

Week 9

 

Crime Terror-Nexus

Week 10

 

Social Media

Week 11

 

Foreign Fighters

Week 12

 

Cumulative Extremism

Week 13

 

Conclusions

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.