Terrorism and Counterterrorism in the 21st Century
UndergraduateMAQ-PICX20152024
Previously MAQ-PICX113
Course information for 2024 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Explore the range of law enforcement and societal response options available to governments. Understand terrorism as a strategy and as a tactic, recruitment and group dynamics, narratives and the role of global media, and cyber terrorism.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Terrorism and Counterterrorism in the 21st Century
About this subject
On successful completion of this subject, you will be able to:
- Identify the relationship between violence, extremism and terrorism in the 21st century
- Identify the differences between political, religious, and ideological forms of terrorism and violent extremism, and how they have emerged over the past century.
- Critically evaluate how the concept of terrorism is used in security discourse in the 21st century.
- Explain and evaluate the range of hard and soft responses to terrorism and violent extremism available to liberal societies.
- Evaluate how states and societies can respond to terrorism and violent extremism in an effective, balanced and ethical manner.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of processes of radicalisation to violent extremism and how these relate to new media technologies and the internet.
- Demonstrate critical analysis skills through the completion of assessable research tasks.
- Terrorism and political violence
- Coercion
- Terrorist recruitment and group dynamics
- Global media
- Cyber and terrorist narrative
- Counter-terrorism
- Radicalisation and deradicalisation
- State responses to terror threats
- Policing and intelligence
This subject provides a critical introduction to the causes, strategies, and tactics of terrorists and violent extremists in the twenty-first century, and some possible solutions to these problems. It explores the global origins and history of terrorism as a means of political coercion, evaluates the effectiveness of terrorism as a strategy, and examines how terrorism and violent extremism are changing in the twenty-first century. Attention will be given to case studies looking at various religious, political, and far-right and far-left ideological terrorist and violent extremist organisations. By the end of this unit, students will gain an understanding of the dynamics that underpin twenty-first century terrorism and violent extremism, as well as evaluate both hard and soft approaches to countering these. Special attention will be focused on the sources of successful and ethical countering strategies; understanding mechanisms of radicalisation to and from violent extremism; evaluating proportionate state response to terror and violent extremist threats; and assessing the role of new technologies such as social media on how terrorist groups operate.
- Critical Review (30%)
- Online test (20%)
- Research Essay (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-intensive university in north-western Sydney offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. With over 44,000 current students, Macquarie has a strong reputation for welcoming international students and embracing flexible and convenient study options, including its partnership with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about Macquarie University.
Explore Macquarie courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 10
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 10
Entry requirements
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
one of
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MAQ-PICX113 (Not currently available)
Others
Pre-requisite
50cp at 1000 level or above
NCCW (pre-2020 units)
PICT113, PICX113
Additional requirements
- Other requirements -
Students who have an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion under Macquarie University's Academic Progression Policy are not permitted to enrol in OUA units offered by Macquarie University. Students with an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion who have enrolled in units through OUA will be withdrawn.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateMAQ-BSS-DEG
UndergraduateMAQ-ART-DEG
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.