Political struggles aimed at undermining the existing political order have been a pervasive feature of global politics. Modern states have constantly been sites of relentless challenges from their citizenry, which sometimes take the form of non-violent action while on other occasions manifest in terrorism and violence. This course introduces students to the politics of disruption and violent and non-violent struggles targeted at bringing about political change. We will study a range of manifestations of such struggles focusing on some well-known cases such as the US civil rights movement, the Arab Springs, the Ferguson riots and the Islamic State (ISIS). Can non-violent resistance succeed against a coercive state? Why do individuals and groups participate in high-risk political struggles? What explains patterns of violence in civil conflicts? What are the effects of violence? What facilitates peace? This course will enable you to answer these questions.
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