Module POL3229 for 2018/9
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3229: Disrupting Western and Neo-Liberal Hegemony: Insurgency and Counterinsurgency Post-WWII
This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introduction to Critical Military Studies;
- Militarism and militarization;
- Definitions of irregular warfare, insurgency and terrorism;
- Classic theories of insurgency/guerrilla war;
- Classic theories of counterinsurgency;
- Changing Nature of insurgent and counter-insurgent warfare;
- Asian Case Study 1: Malaya;
- Asian Case Study 2: Vietnam;
- North African Case Study: Algeria;
- Middle East Case Study 1: Israel and the Palestinian Territories;
- Middle East Case Study 2: Israel in Lebanon;
- US interventionism in Central America: Panama and El Salvador
- Revolution, Drugs & Paramilitarism: Columbia and the FARC
- The militarisation of urban spaces – North America (USA): the politics of race/racism and police brutality.
- The militarisation of urban spaces – South America (Brazil): poverty, social marginality, and the counter-narcotics war in the favelas.
- The ideology of Al-Qaeda and its off-shoots: a global jihadist insurgency?
- Post-9/11 Case Study: Iraq;
- Post-9/11 Case Study: Afghanistan.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | 254 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 46 | 23 x 2-hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 92 | Private study reading and preparing for seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 162 | Preparation for assessments including researching and collating relevant sources; planning the structure and argument; writing up the essay and presentation brief; preparing and rehearsing presentation; reading book and writing book review |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Web based and electronic resources:
Complex Terrain Laboratory: http://www.terraplexic.org/
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute: http://www.sipri.org/
Combating Terrorism Centre (Westpoint): http://ctc.usma.edu/sentinel/
UK Defence Academy: http://www.da.mod.uk/podcasts
‘MERLIN’ US National Defence University: http://merln.ndu.edu/
US Institute of Peace: http://www.usip.org/
Institute for War and Peace Reporting: http://www.iwpr.org
US Army War College: http://www.carlisle.army.mil/
International Studies Association web resources: http://www.isanet.org/links/
US Naval Postgraduate School: http://www.nps.edu/
RAND Corps: http://www.rand.org/
Center for Strategic and International Studies: http://csis.org/
Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies: http://www.rusi.org
Chatham House (Royal Institute for International Affairs): http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk
International Institute for Strategic Studies: http://www.iiss.org
Brookings Institute: http://www.brookings.edu/
Bitter Lemons: http://www.bitterlemons.org/
Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies: http://www.ciss.ca/
Centre for Defence Information: http://www.cdi.org/
CIA Factbook: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/
International Crisis Group: http://www.icg.org/home/index.cfm
Rand Corporation: http://www.rand.org/
Key journals:
Armed Forces & Society
Civil Wars
Conflict, Security & Development
Critical Military Studies
Critical Studies on Terrorism
Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict
European Journal of International Security
International Affairs
International Political Sociology
International Security
Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding
Journal of Strategic Studies
Journal of War & Culture Studies
Low Intensity Conflict & Law Enforcement
Review of International Studies
Security Dialogue
Security Studies
Small Wars & Insurgencies
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
Survival
Terrorism & Political Violence
Third World Quarterly
Other Learning Resources
Other materials and resources will be identified by the module convener in lectures and via ELE and by tutors in tutorials.
