IR4563 Rebels, Terrorists, Militias: The Comparative Analysis of Armed Groups

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

Tuesday 11am - 12 noon

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr H Tamm

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr H Tamm

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module introduces students to the comparative analysis of armed groups, such as the Taliban and the so-called Islamic State. The first part addresses important conceptual issues, including the differences between rebel groups, terrorist organisations, and militias. The second part then brings together the study of these different types of groups by investigating the organisational challenges that they all face to varying degrees: recruiting and controlling their members, governing civilians under their control, and using violence effectively. The third part focuses on alliance politics both among armed groups and between them and sovereign states. The fourth part analyses different outcomes, asking why some groups remain cohesive while others split into rival organisations, and why some groups succeed whereas others fail. In each tutorial, students apply conceptual and theoretical insights from the lecture by comparing two or more different groups from the same country.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS IR2006

Assessment pattern

3-hour Written Examination = 50%, Coursework = 50%

Re-assessment

3-hour Written Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 1-hour lecture (x 10 weeks), 1 x 1-hour tutorial (x 10 weeks), 2 consultation hours with Coordinator (x 12 weeks). 2 hours examination feedback in week 1 of following semester.

Scheduled learning hours

20

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

280

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • critically assess how and why journalists and academics use different labels for armed groups
  • recognize that armed groups face organizational challenges that are similar to those any kind of organization faces
  • understand why armed groups form alliances and how those affect their organizational cohesion and level of success
  • develop an ability to systematically compare two organizations
  • apply general conceptual and theoretical insights to specific case studies