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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: cav58d on February 07, 2007, 05:03:18 PM

Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 07, 2007, 05:03:18 PM
I am taking a Capstone Seminar in Political Science.  The theme of the course is terrorism, and the only graded paper will be a final 40 page research paper on the topic of terrorism.  Very broad.  For my college internship, I did a semester with Connecticut's Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEMHS).  Right now i'm leaning towards doing my research on terrorism and the state of Connecticut...(prevention...responses
I figure this would be a good forum to post in for suggestions.  Like I said, the theme is terrorism.  Could range from studying the roll of women and terrorist groups, to the insurgency in Iraq.

Would love to hear some suggestions.  So does anyone have any idea's on what could be an awesome topic, with accessible research?

thanks

cav
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Chairboy on February 07, 2007, 05:07:22 PM
What about coming at it from a different angle?  For example, you could write about the effect on society that terrorist attacks have had.  For example, 10 years ago, if someone put a Litebrite on a bridge, the person who demanded that persons head because of it being a terrorist device would be laughed out of the room, but our conversation here the other day suggests that it's acceptable to panic over these things now.

Same thing for the Patriot act.  10 years ago, if someone tried to get that passed, they'd be roundly attacked for subverting our civil rights.  But in the post 9/11 world, the almost unanimous support for it was applauded.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Ack-Ack on February 07, 2007, 05:08:01 PM
How about the influence of terrorism on national policies?  You can use instances where terrorism is used to affect national policy decisions.  Examples could be the use of terrorism in the 1970s by various groups, such as the Baader-Meinhoff (sp?) Gang, Red Brigade, IRA, etc. or other groups where the goal was more political than ideological.


ack-ack
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 07, 2007, 05:09:42 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
What about coming at it from a different angle?  For example, you could write about the effect on society that terrorist attacks have had.  For example, 10 years ago, if someone put a Litebrite on a bridge, the person who demanded that persons head because of it being a terrorist device would be laughed out of the room, but our conversation here the other day suggests that it's acceptable to panic over these things now.

Same thing for the Patriot act.  10 years ago, if someone tried to get that passed, they'd be roundly attacked for subverting our civil rights.  But in the post 9/11 world, the almost unanimous support for it was applauded.


Yea, i have been thinking about that.  Sounds a lot like a sociology study, but there should be a vast amount of information.

Good examples too.  Could also throw in the color coded theat system.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Chairboy on February 07, 2007, 05:09:52 PM
Also, don't forget how terrorists managed to directly change the results of a national election in Spain a couple years ago by taking advantage of mob-psychology.  They couldn't have timed those explosions any better, it safe to say that it was their intent, and that they succeeded.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 07, 2007, 05:18:23 PM
Thats actually a pretty awesome topic chairboy.  Thanks man.  I will definately look into it.

Two other topics i've been thinking of are the Gitmo Prisoners...And the NSA TSP.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Maverick on February 07, 2007, 07:16:26 PM
Do you have any options to this course??? A grade for a semester based only on a single paper from a subject that is wide open to interpretation???? That sounds like an invitation to a potential accademic lynching. If the prof decides he / she didn't like the paper you're toast.


Given an assumption that it is legit and you want to continue, look at the growth of terrorism and the use of media as either a role or a spur to terror activities. Kind of like the chicken and egg controversy in a causal basis.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 07, 2007, 07:26:12 PM
This is a Capstone Seminar.  Culmination of every political science course I have taken, and I believe the grading is fair and appropriate for the level I am at.

Topic must be approved by the Doctor, and daily reports submitted, however, final grade is in the final product.

Unfortunately media and terrosim was taken the first day.  That would have been a good one too.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Thrawn on February 08, 2007, 08:38:20 AM
Why hasn't Al-Qaeda attacked the US again, especially considering it's porous board?
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: storch on February 08, 2007, 08:53:18 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Thrawn
Why hasn't Al-Qaeda attacked the US again, especially considering it's porous board?
because brave young men and women are volunteering to take the fight to their doorstep in accordance with the political decision made by the bush administration in the aftermath of the 11 sep 2001 attacks on our nation.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Chairboy on February 08, 2007, 09:10:43 AM
Also, airfares are up.  And have you tried using your frequent flyer miles lately?  So much paperwork....
Title: Re: Terrorism Study
Post by: Nilsen on February 08, 2007, 10:16:20 AM
Quote
Originally posted by cav58d
IThe theme of the course is terrorism, and the only graded paper will be a final 40 page research paper on the topic of terrorism.


How do you make a 40 page research paper on "Its all Bush's fault" ???? :confused:
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: storch on February 08, 2007, 10:52:32 AM
you have a european write it.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Toad on February 08, 2007, 10:54:53 AM
Touche!

:rofl
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Nilsen on February 08, 2007, 11:08:02 AM
Yeah.. i suppose you have to be pretty clever to do it. :)
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Toad on February 08, 2007, 11:11:34 AM
Nah, just an unreasoning Bushophobe. I agree with Storch; Europia has a lot of those.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: rpm on February 08, 2007, 11:25:26 AM
Here's an interesting fact to research. Since 1960, more people have been killed by peanuts than by terrorists.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Toad on February 08, 2007, 11:34:23 AM
Whew...good... now we can ignore terrorism and focus on peanuts.

Saaaaaaaay.... didn't Jimmah Cartuh sells lots of peanuts? Hmmmmmmmmmm
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Sixpence on February 08, 2007, 11:42:29 AM
Or you can write about how it's created paranoia towards religion.

How one religion's extremists have hurt all religions and people of faith.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Nilsen on February 08, 2007, 12:00:19 PM
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
Here's an interesting fact to research. Since 1960, more people have been killed by peanuts than by terrorists.


Does that mean that peanuts are infact terrorist supporters? If so then im killing terrorist supporters right now. :)
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 08, 2007, 12:09:22 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Sixpence
Or you can write about how it's created paranoia towards religion.

How one religion's extremists have hurt all religions and people of faith.


Yea thats another one....starting with sura 9
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Debonair on February 08, 2007, 02:36:35 PM
get a G-V type rating & say u r studying extraordinary renditions:noid :noid :noid :rofl
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: eskimo2 on February 08, 2007, 03:18:10 PM
Darn it!  I always thought George Washington Carver was an American hero and great inventor.  Now it turns out he ranks right up there with Bin Ladin!
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: john9001 on February 08, 2007, 03:18:39 PM
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
Here's an interesting fact to research. Since 1960, more people have been killed by peanuts than by terrorists.



hmmm, jimmy carter was a peanut farmer.  

connect the dots.
Title: Re: Terrorism Study
Post by: Sikboy on February 08, 2007, 04:48:18 PM
Quote
Originally posted by cav58d
I am taking a Capstone Seminar in Political Science.  The theme of the course is terrorism, and the only graded paper will be a final 40 page research paper on the topic of terrorism.  Very broad.  For my college internship, I did a semester with Connecticut's Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEMHS).  Right now i'm leaning towards doing my research on terrorism and the state of Connecticut...(prevention...responses
I figure this would be a good forum to post in for suggestions.  Like I said, the theme is terrorism.  Could range from studying the roll of women and terrorist groups, to the insurgency in Iraq.

Would love to hear some suggestions.  So does anyone have any idea's on what could be an awesome topic, with accessible research?

thanks

cav


I have some research on democratization sitting around collecting dust. This is undergrad? You might be able to toss together some loose "Democratic Regimes decrease terrorist threats" and then show the path to Democracy. From a practical application standpoint it might be cool. Let me know if you want the paper.

-Sik
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Thrawn on February 08, 2007, 05:13:11 PM
Quote
Originally posted by storch
because brave young men and women are volunteering to take the fight to their doorstep in accordance with the political decision made by the bush administration in the aftermath of the 11 sep 2001 attacks on our nation.



Nice sound bite, but I was being serious.  I would think it would be child's play to get a few guys across the US board and go shoot up a mall.  I would be interested in seeing a paper on why this hasn't been done.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: storch on February 08, 2007, 05:22:47 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Thrawn
Nice sound bite, but I was being serious.  I would think it would be child's play to get a few guys across the US board and go shoot up a mall.  I would be interested in seeing a paper on why this hasn't been done.
I also am being serious.  this is what I believe,  they have us far too close to home and there is a CinC that will shoot and make no bones about it.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Shuckins on February 08, 2007, 06:34:02 PM
How about pointing out that terrorists don't have to win military victories in order to achieve their goals.  All they have to do is survive until the civil population of their enemy nation tires of the struggle and throws in the towel...or undergoes electoral change.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: cav58d on February 08, 2007, 07:03:27 PM
Honestly....Shuckins-  That is the best one I heard yet.

hmm...what to do.
Title: Terrorism Study
Post by: Thrawn on February 08, 2007, 08:02:54 PM
Yeah, it's a great idea...that's why it's been studied so many times already.