Hist of Global War on Terror

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Fall 2021 marks the twentieth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Those events and the responses to them unleashed the phenomenon known as the Global War on Terror, led in large part by the United States, though with the participation of many other states and a wide range of political actors. Twenty years on, this course seeks to examine these developments through a critical historical lens. Beginning with a discussion of key themes and concepts, we will examine the possible modes of studying the Global War on Terror as a unit of analysis in light of competing theoretical and analytical frameworks. Following a historical background unit that traces some of the Global War on Terror’s most salient features to the late Cold War era, the remainder of the course will be devoted to the study of major events and key developments of the era after 9/11. These include the conduct of the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the evolution and globalization of securitization policies, including the use of rendition, torture, “black sites,” and drone warfare. Later units will explore the Global War on Terror’s impact on U.S. policies in other parts of the Middle East region, as well as the ongoing competition with Iran over regional influence. The course will also explore the competing narratives over the emergence and evolution of key targets of the Global War on Terror in the form of militant movements such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, and their impact on perceptions of mainline Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Finally, the course will also examine the domestic impact of the Global War on Terror within the U.S., including the legal ramifications of the Patriot Act and the broader crackdown on free speech and association.