PLSC 308 Syllabus 1
PLSC 308
Political Violence and Revolution
Fall 2013
TR 11:00-12:15
203 Marshall
Professor Petra Hendrickson
602H Pray-Harrold
TR 12:30-1:30
phendri2@emich.edu
Course Description
This course examines political violence and revolution in comparative and international
perspective. It considers theories and cases of structural violence rooted in social injustice;
diverse forms and motives of political violence (such as war, rebellion, terrorism, ethnic conflict,
national liberation); patterns and cycles of violence and non-violent alternatives; and the
dynamics of revolution.
Course Objectives
In this course, students will:
• Characterize the four classes of political violence
• Differentiate root causes of various forms of violence
• Draw parallels between current events and class material
• Compare the theories and cases of different forms of political violence
• Categorize instances of political violence into the four classes
• Analyze differences in tactics and outcomes between cases within the same class of
violence
Required Readings
The reading load for this course will be moderate-to-heavy: around 30-40 pages per class period
(although fewer pages will be assigned when the readings are more difficult). We will utilize a
variety of sources in order to provide a richer understanding of both theories and historical
accounts of genocide. To that end, any reading not appearing in the required anthology (listed
below) will be posted on the PLSC 308 site (http://www.emuonline.edu).
Scheper-Hughes, Nancy, and Philippe Bourgois, eds. 2004. Violence in War and Peace: An
Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. (VWP)
ISBN: 9780631223498
Course Requirements
Although the information bolded below is the most pertinent, it is vital that students read the
entirety of the requirement to ensure they complete the task according to the guidelines. In this
course students are expected to:
• Complete Indiana University plagiarism test and turn in accompanying certificate of
completion within the first two weeks of class (by September 17). Plagiarism is
dishonest, unethical and unacceptable. This test requires students to identify instances of
PLSC 308 Syllabus 2
•
•
•
•
plagiarism, which will greatly reduce the possibility of unintentional plagiarism
committed because of lack of knowledge of what qualifies as plagiarism. The test can be
found at the following address: https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/plagiarism_test.html
(10%)
Complete required reading. The reading load in this class will be moderate to heavy,
with the sum of reading assignments ranging from 30-40 pages per class period. Students
are expected to read the assignments carefully and come to class prepared to discuss, ask
questions and make analytical connections between the readings and lecture.
Take a midterm exam (October 10) and a final exam (December 17). The final exam
will be non-cumulative. (20% each; 40% total)
Engage the texts and recent news articles in 4 brief analytical papers (1-2 pages each)
throughout the semester. These papers should relate a course reading to a
recent(ish) news article to a topic covered in each of the four classes of political
violence (i.e, use one reading from each unit to discuss a news story). News articles
should have been written no more than 5 years ago. Options for analysis include
assessing how the theories covered in the unit apply to the event covered in the news
story; how the facts of the case in the news story compare to the events of a specific case
discussed during the unit; and whether there are any major differences between the
concepts covered in the unit and the way the news story is framed (i.e., if economic
inequality is a potential explanation for society v. state violence, does the news story
discuss this, or does it focus on some other root cause, such as political exclusion?).
Paper topics are not limited to the examples above. Students are encouraged to generate
their own criterion or criteria for analysis. Students are also encouraged to consult with
the instructor if they are having difficulty developing an analysis. Each paper is due after
the unit to which it is tied (except for the paper for the final unit, which will be due before
the unit concludes). The due dates are as follows: state v. state (September 19); state
v. society (October 17); society v. state (November 26); society v. society (December
5). (7.5% each; 30% total)
Write a 5-6 page paper synthesizing the material covered in one of the units (i.e, state
v. society, society v. society, etc.). How are the different forms of political violence
within a class of events similar, both at a theoretical and practical level? Are there major
differences in tactics utilized by the aggressor? Do we understand some forms of political
violence better than others within the same class? Why might this be? While some
summary will be necessary to provide context for the arguments made, students should
summarize as little as possible and instead focus on the analysis of a class of political
violence. This paper is due December 12. (20%)
Late Assignments and Make-Up Exams
Assignments will be graded down one letter grade for each day they are late. The midterm must
be made up within one week of the original test date (by October 17). The final exam must be
made up by the end of finals week (by December 20). The format of make-up exams may differ
from the format of the exam provided during the assigned class period.
Attendance
I expect students to attend all classes, arrive on time, remain for the entire period, and bring the
day’s readings with you to class. Unexcused absences (including arriving late, leaving early, or
PLSC 308 Syllabus 3
coming unprepared) will affect your overall course grade as follows: 4-5 unexcused absences
will result in a one-half-grade drop your overall grade (i.e., from A to A-, A- to B+, etc.); 6-8
unexcused absences will result in a whole-letter-grade drop in your overall grade (i.e., from an A
to B+, A- to B-, etc.); 9 or more absences will result in a grade of an F for the course. Note:
excused absences include medical excuses, when a student’s illness is sufficiently debilitating to
warrant absence (usually requiring a health-care provider note), and emergencies, such as a death
in the family, serious illness of a family member, court appearances, or hazardous weather that
makes attendance impossible.
Paper Format
All papers must conform to the following specifications: 1” margins on all sides, 12-point Times
New Roman font, double-spaced, last name and page number on each page and appropriate intext citations. Because the only required source is the course textbook, it is not necessary to
include a works cited page for the short analysis paper. However, it is necessary to include intext citations when referencing specific points and arguments raised in the textbook. Students can
use the citation format of their choice from the following list: APA, Chicago, MLA, and citation
style should be consistent throughout the paper. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab
(http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/) has guides to the various citation styles available on their
website. Papers must be submitted electronically via EMU-Online.
Writing Support
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library; 487-0694) offers one-to-one writing
consulting for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or
drop in between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Students should bring a draft of what they’re working on and their
assignment sheet. The UWC opens for the Fall 2013 semester on Monday, September 9 and will
close on Thursday, December 12.
The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g.,
Organizing Your Writing; Incorporating Evidence; Revising Your Writing; Conquering
Commas; Using APA or MLA). Workshops are offered at different times in the UWC. Visit the
UWC page (http://www.emich.edu/uwc) to see our workshop calendar. To register for a
workshop, click the link from the UWC page for the type of workshop you wish to attend.
The UWC also has several satellite sites across campus. These satellites provide writing support
to students within the various colleges. For more information about our satellite locations and
hours, visit the UWC web site: http://www.emich.edu/uwc.
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) also offers one-to-one writing consulting for
students, in addition to consulting on research and technology-related issues. The APC is open
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for drop-in consultations . Additional information
about the APC can be found at http://www.emich.edu/apc. Students visiting the Academic
Projects Center or any of the satellites of the University Writing Center should also bring with
them a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
Academic Dishonesty
PLSC 308 Syllabus 4
In addition to being a wholesale bad idea, plagiarism is also forbidden by the EMU Code of
Student Conduct. Any assignment that is plagiarized to any extent will receive a score of zero.
Cheating on exams is also forbidden and will also result in a zero on the exam.
Classroom Etiquette
Laptops are permitted in class only for the purpose of taking notes. Other uses are not allowed,
and if students are repeat offenders, i.e., caught more than once using their laptop for
unauthorized purposes will have their in-class laptop privileges (yes, using a laptop in class is a
privilege and not a right) revoked. Use of other forms of technology, especially cell phones, is
absolutely not permitted.
Disclaimer
It may become necessary to alter the schedule provided below. In such an occurrence, students
will be notified well in advance and provided with an updated electronic copy of the syllabus.
Grading System and Scale
The percentage values allocated to course components are listed after the description of the
course component. The grading scale breaks down as follows:
Grade Value
A
AB+
B
BC+
Percentage Range
93-100%
90-92.9%
87-89.9%
83-86.9%
80-82.9%
77-79.9%
Grade Value
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentage Range
73-76.9%
70-72.9%
67-69.9%
63-66.9%
60-62.9%
below 59.9%
Schedule of Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments
Reading assignments should be completed PRIOR to the class period for which they are listed.
Thursday, September 5: Syllabus Day
Tuesday, September 10: Intro to Political Violence
Topics:
• Four broad classes:
o State v. State
o State v. Society
o Society v. State
o Society v. Society
Readings:
• Fujii, Lee Ann. 2013. “The Puzzle of Extra-Lethal Violence.” Perspectives on Politics
11(2): 410-426.
• VWP “Introduction”
PLSC 308 Syllabus 5
UNIT 1: STATE V. STATE
Thursday, September 12: Coup d’État
Topics:
• Definition
• Theories
• Cases
o Burma 1962
Readings:
• Carlton, Eric. 1997. “Theories of Coup d’Etat.” The State against the State: The Theory
and Practice of the Coup d’Etat. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. 1-15.
• Trager, Frank N. 1963. “The Failure of U Nu and the Return of the Armed Forces in
Burma.” Review of Politics 25(3): 309-328.
UNIT 2: STATE V. SOCIETY
Tuesday, September 17: Colonial-Era Repression
Topics:
• British colonial repression
• French colonial repression
Readings:
• Newsinger, John. 1981. “Revolt and Repression in Kenya: The ‘Mau Mau’ Rebellion,
1952-1960.” Science and Society 45(2): 159-185.
Due:
• Indiana University Plagiarism Certificate
Thursday, September 19: Colonial-Era Atrocities
Topics:
• Rape of Nanking
Readings:
• Yamamoto, Masahiro. 2000. “Nanking: Analysis of Individually Committed Crimes and
Nature of Atrocities.” Rape of Nanking: Separating Fact from Fiction. Santa Barbara:
Greenwood. 128-157.
Due:
• State v. State analysis paper
Tuesday, September 24: Minority Repression
Topics:
• Jim Crow in US
• Apartheid
Readings:
• Worden, Nigel. 2012. “White Supremacy, Segregation and Apartheid.” The Making of
Modern South Africa: Conquest, Apartheid, Democracy. 5th ed. Oxford: WileyBlackwell. 73-103.
PLSC 308 Syllabus 6
Thursday, September 26: Political Repression
Topics:
• Stalin’s USSR
Readings:
• Kuromiya, Hiroaki. 1991. “Stalinist Terror in the Donbas: A Note.” Slavic Review 50(1):
157-162.
• Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I. 1998. “Arrest.” The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956. Vol. 1.
Boulder: Westview Press. 3-23.
Tuesday, October 1: Theories of Genocide
Topics:
• Definitions of genocide
• Motivation to kill
Readings:
• Lemkin, Raphael. 1944. “Genocide.” Axis Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of
Occupation, Analysis of Government, Proposals for Redress. Washington: Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace. 79-95. (Only read p. 79-90)
• UN Convention on Genocide
• VWP ch. 16
• VWP ch. 18
Thursday, October 3: Cases of Genocide, Pre-WWII
Topics:
• Indigenous Peoples
Readings:
• Levarch, Michael. 1997. “National Overview.” Bringing Them Home: National Inquiry
into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their
Families. Sydney: Commonwealth of Australia. 22-32 (of PDF; pages of document not
numbered).
• Rensink, Brenden. 2011. “Genocide of Native Americans: Historical Facts and
Historiographic Debates.” In Genocide of Indigenous Peoples. Genocide: A Critical
Bibliographic Review. Volume 8. Samuel Totten and Robert K. Hitchcock, eds. New
Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. 15-36.
• VWP ch. 4
Tuesday, October 8: Cases of Genocide, WWII-Present
Topics:
• Holocaust
Readings:
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines/nazi_genocide_timeline/index_embed.
shtml
• VWP ch. 9
• VWP ch. 10
• VWP ch. 11
PLSC 308 Syllabus 7
Thursday, October 10: Dirty Wars/Torture
Topics:
• Latin America
• US War on Terror
Readings:
• VWP ch. 19
• VWP ch. 21
• VWP ch. 23
• VWP ch. 25
• VWP ch. 48
Tuesday, October 15: MIDTERM EXAM
UNIT 3: SOCIETY V. STATE
Thursday, October 17: Kidnapping
Topics:
• FARC
Readings:
• Brittain, James J., and James Petras. 2009. “An Overview of the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP): A History of Radicalism in the
Countryside.” Revolutionary Social Change in Colombia: The Origin and Direction of
the FARC-EP. London: Pluto Press. 1-15.
• Rabasa, Angel, Peter Chalk, and John Gordon. 2011. “Counterinsurgency Transition
Case Study: Colombia.” From Insurgency to Stability, Volume II : Insights from Selected
Case Studies. Santa Monica: RAND. 41-73. (only read 41-54)
Due:
• State v. Society analysis paper
Tuesday, October 22: Theories of Civil War
Topics:
• Theories
• Approaches
Readings:
• Mason, T. David. 2009. “The Evolution of Theory on Civil War and Revolution.” In
Handbook of War Studies III: The Intrastate Dimension. Manus I. Midlarsky, ed. Ann
Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 63-99. (only read 63-87)
Thursday, October 24: Cases of Civil War, Before 1991
Topics:
• Spain
Readings:
• Richards, Michael. 1996. “Civil War, Violence and the Construction of Francoism.” In
The Republic Besieged: Civil War in Spain 1936-1939. Paul Preston and Ann L.
Mackenzie, eds. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 197-240.
PLSC 308 Syllabus 8
Tuesday, October 29: Cases of Civil War, 1991-Present
Topics:
• Former Yugoslavia
Readings:
• Calame, Jon, Esther Charlesworth, and Lebbeus Woods. 2012. “Mostar.” City in the
Twenty-First Century : Divided Cities : Belfast, Beirut, Jerusalem, Mostar, and Nicosia.
Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 103-120.
• Crnobrnja, M. 1996. “The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” Yugoslav Drama. Montreal:
McGill-Queen’s University Press. 189-203.
Thursday, October 31: Implications of Civil War
Topics:
• Recovery
Readings:
• Ohiorhenuan, John. 2012. “Post-Conflict Recovery.” In Elgar Handbook of Civil War
and Fragile States. Graham K. Brown and Arnim Langer, eds. Cheltenham, UK: Edward
Elgar. 428-447.
Tuesday, November 5: Transnational Terrorism
Topics:
• Al Qaeda
• Suicide terrorism
Readings:
• Atran, Scott. 2003. “Genesis of Suicide Terrorism.” Science 299: 1534-1539.
• Burke, Jason. 2004. “Al Qaeda.” Foreign Policy 142: 18-126.
• Sedgwick, Mark. 2004. “Al-Qaeda and the Nature of Religious Terrorism.” Terrorism
and Political Violence 16(4): 795-814.
Thursday, November 7: Domestic Terrorism
Topics:
• Red Army Faction/Baader-Meinhof Gang
Readings:
• Della Porta, Donatella. 1995. “The Logic of Underground Organizations.” Social
Movements, Political Violence, and the State: A Comparative Analysis of Italy and
Germany. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 113-135.
• Red Army Faction. 2009 [1971]. The Urban Guerrilla Concept.
Tuesday, November 12: Theories of Revolution
Topics:
• Causes
Readings:
• Conteh-Morgan, Earl. 2004. “Revolution: Causes and Types.” Collective Political
Violence: Introduction to the Theories and Cases of Violent Conflicts. New York:
Routledge. 220-245.
PLSC 308 Syllabus 9
Thursday, November 14: Cases of Revolution
Topics:
• Iran
Readings:
• Panah, Maryam. 2007. “The Iranian Revolution: Internal and External Causes.” Islamic
Republic and the World: Global Dimensions of the Iranian Revolution. London: Pluto
Press. 16-41.
Tuesday, November 19: Arab Spring
Topics:
• Background
• Paths of different countries
• Theories
Readings:
• Gelvin, James L. 2012. “A Revolutionary Wave?” The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone
Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1-33.
Thursday, November 21: Nonviolent Resistance
Topics:
• Overview of nonviolent resistance
• Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo
Readings:
• Hernandez, Viviana M. Abreu. 2002. “The Mothers of La Plaza de Mayo: A Peace
Movement.” Peace and Change 27(3): 385-411. (begin reading on p. 395)
• Howes, Dustin Ells. 2013. “The Failure of Pacifism and the Success of Nonviolence.”
Perspectives on Politics 11(2): 427-446.
Tuesday, November 26: Nonviolent Revolutions
Topics:
• Color Revolutions in Eastern Europe
Readings:
• Mitchell, Lincoln A. 2012. “Introduction.” Color Revolutions. Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press. 1-16.
• Way, Lucan. 2008. “The Real Causes of the Color Revolutions.” Journal of Democracy
19(3): 55-69.
Due:
• Society v. State analysis paper
Thursday, November 28: NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING)
PLSC 308 Syllabus 10
UNIT 4: SOCIETY V. SOCIETY
Tuesday, December 3: Religiously-Motivated Violence
• Partition Violence in British India
Readings:
• Nair, Neeti. 2011. “Partition Violence and the Question of Responsibility.” Changing
Homelands: Hindu Politics and the Partition of India. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press. 179-218. (read p. 179-192 and p. 211-218, AS WELL AS one of the
following sections: p. 192-200; p. 200-206; p. 206-211)
Thursday, December 5: Ethnically-Motivated Violence
Topics:
• Pre-genocide Rwanda
Readings:
• Uvin, Peter. 1997. “Prejudice, Crisis, and Genocide in Rwanda.” African Studies Review
40(2): 91-115. (only read to p. 105)
• VWP ch. 14
• VWP ch. 15
Due:
• Society v. Society analysis paper
Tuesday, December 10: Riots
Topics:
• US race riots
Readings:
• Sitkoff, Harvard. 2010. “The Detroit Race Riot of 1943.” Toward Freedom Land: The
Long Struggle for Racial Equality in America. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press.
43-64.
Thursday, December 12: Lynchings
Topics:
• United States
Readings:
• Berg, Manfred. 2011. “‘Indescribable Barbarism’: The Lynching of African Americans in
the Age of Jim Crow.” Popular Justice: A History of Lynching in America. Blue Ridge
Summit, PA: Ivan R. Dee. 90-116.
• VWP ch. 13
Due: 5-6 page synthesis paper
Thursday, December 17: FINAL EXAM (11:00 am-12:30 pm)