JOUR 402: Media and Terrorism

This course will investigate the interplay between terrorism around the world and media content about terrorism. It will focus on how news media portray terrorism and terrorists, and the effects of terrorism and media portrayal of terrorism on the public. While many of the assigned readings are about terrorism in the United States, including the 9/11 attack, perspectives from countries around the world are also explored. Students should keep up-to-date with developments in terrorism around the world, primarily through news reports. If events related to the course occur, be sure to bring the real-world perspectives into class discussions. Please note that some of the readings for this class will be challenging. Several explore academic theories and/or utilize complex statistical data analysis. While background in theory or data analysis can be helpful, no special knowledge is necessary to understand the material overall.