Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3142: Social and Islamist Armed Movements

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module aims to equip you with the conceptual and theoretical tools necessary for understanding Social and armed Islamist Movements. It will familiarise you with the latest research on Social movements and encourage you to develop a critical perspective in analysing existing research. You will be exposed to a variety of methodological approaches and challenges in research from the field of Social and Armed Movements. The course examines Movements with a special emphasis on questions related to identity, representation, existence, culture, politics and regional and international interventions. The module aims at locating the topic in a global perspective. After ISIS other armed Islamist movements are becoming the defining feature of the 21st century in the ME area.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Understand the key theoretical debates, concepts and issues surrounding the phenomenon of Islamist and armed movements. 2. Understanding the major armed Islamist movements, their behaviours, ideologies and the contexts in which they operate. 3. Demonstrate that the Movements can provide considerable insight into crucial aspects and dimensions in the state, and demonstrate the ability to discuss key-issues in the themes of Islamism.
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. Critically employ concepts learnt in a global perspective and develop critical arguments. 5. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of existing research, and Use and analyse cross-disciplinary data relevant to specific issues. 6. Ability to handle recent Islamist terminology. Ability to analyse and analyse both primary and secondary sources as well as to place the issues discussed in a wider context.
Personal and Key Skills	7. Display an ability to conduct critical analyses and evaluation of the subject topics, through readings, class discussions and presentations. Organisation of time and resources. 8. Work independently and with peers to achieve goals. 9. Enhancing the ability of the students to undertake comparative and cross-regional

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Group Presentation	15 minutes	1-8	Written and verbal

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	40	1,500 words	1-8	Summative Written
Essay	60	2,000 words	1-8	Summative Written

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay	Essay 1,500 words (40%)	1-8	August-September re-assessment period
Essay	Essay - 2,000 words (60%)	1-8	August-September re-assessment period

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Readings:
Hafez, Mohammed, Why Muslims Rebel: Repression and Resistance in the Islamic World (Boulder, Colo. ; London : Lynne Rienner, 2003), chapters 1, 2.
Recommended:
• Paul Davis et al. Social Science for Counterterrorism. DC: Rand, 2008. Chapters 1, 2:
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG849/
Suggested readings:
• Anas, Abdullah. “The Birth of Arab Afghans: An Algerian Perspective.” In Ibrahim Abu Rabi’(ed.). The Contemporary Arab Reader on Political Islam. London: Pluto Press, 2010
• Ashour, Omar. “Egypt’s Democratic Jihadist?” Foreign Policy, 13 July 2011.
• Ashour, Omar, “Lions Tamed? An Inquiry into the Causes of De-Radicalization of the Egyptian Islamic Group.” Middle East Journal vol. 61, no. 4 (Autumn 2007): 596 - 625.
• Bakkour, Samer. The End of Middle East Peace Process: the Failure of US Diplomacy (Routledge: New York, London, 2022)
• Brachman, Jarret. Global Jihadism. London: Routledge, 2009, chapters 1, 2.
• Lia, Brynjar. Architect of Global Jihad: The Life of the life of al-Qaida strategist Abu Mus‘al-Suri, chapters, 1, 2.
• Lyall, J., and I. Wilson. ‘‘Rage against the Machines: Explaining Outcomes in Counterinsurgency Wars.’’ International Organization vol. 63, no. 1(2009): 67-106.
• International Crisis Group. “Radical Islam in Gaza.” Middle East Report N°104, 29 March 2011:
• Bakke, Kristin M. “Help Wanted? The Mixed Record of Foreign Fighters in Domestic Insurgencies.” International Security, Vol. 38, No. 4 (Spring 2014), pp. 150–187.
http://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/files/IS3804_pp150-187.pdf