This course will explore the forces that led to the 9/11 attacks and the policies the United States adopted in response. We will examine the phenomenon of modern terrorism, the development of the al Qai'da ideology, and the process by which individuals radicalize towards violence.
Understanding 9/11: Why 9/11 Happened & How Terrorism Affects Our World Today
Duke UniversityAbout this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
25%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
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Beginner Level
Approx. 15 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Learner Career Outcomes
25%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 15 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Offered by
Duke University
Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Week 1: Course Overview and the 9/11 Attacks
In this course, we will examine why al Qai-da attacked America. We will also examine the phenomenon of terrorism, in general, and the radical ideology developed and propagated by Osama bin Laden through al Qaida, more specifically. We will consider why individuals are attracted to this ideology and how they radicalize to violence. We will also explore how the United States addressed terrorism prior to 9/11 and the policy changes the US (and its allies around the globe) faced in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
1 hour to complete
3 videos (Total 36 min), 4 readings
4 readings
Course Overview10m
Assessments and Grading10m
Discussion Forums10m
Week 1: Required Reading10m
1 hour to complete
Week 2: What is Terrorism?
Our topic for this week is, what is terrorism. We will try to define terrorism and understand the actions that we're going to be studying in this course, 9/11 and its aftermath. We will examine one of the key debates in this area; can terrorism be executed by a state, or is it only the use of political violence by a non-state actor. You will also learn how to write a policy memo.
1 hour to complete
8 videos (Total 59 min), 1 reading
8 videos
War vs. Crime17m
Online Resource Search - Catherine Shreve4m
How to Write a Policy Memo - Overview10m
How to Write a Policy Memo - Heading and Background7m
How to Write a Policy Memo - Analysis and Summary5m
How to Write a Policy Memo - Revision2m
How to Write a Policy Memo - Proofread2m
1 reading
Week 2: Required Reading10m
2 hours to complete
Week 3: A Primer on Islam
This week we have a special treat: we will have an extensive conversation with Imam Abdullah Antepli, the Islamic Chaplin here at Duke. We’ll cover a wide range of topics, including Islamic history, law, the role of women and the Muslim experience in the post – 9/11 world.
2 hours to complete
13 videos (Total 96 min), 1 reading
13 videos
Early Muslim Civilization9m
What Muslims Believe8m
The Core Practices of Islam6m
What is Shariah Law11m
Shariah and the Rule of Law5m
What is Jihad'?6m
The Sword Verses7m
Osama bin Laden’s Use of Religion4m
Women in Islam8m
Women, Islam, & Culture5m
The Muslim-American Experience Post 9/11- Part 18m
The Muslim-American Experience Post 9/11 - Part 25m
1 reading
Week 3: Required Reading10m
2 hours to complete
Week 4: The al Qai'da Ideology
Our topic for this week is the al Qaeda ideology. An ideology is essentially the set of beliefs that an individual, a group, or an organization has to either motivate them or to give that organization purpose. For al Qaeda, of course this is incredibly important because they're trying to motivate individuals to sacrifice their lives for what they view as a great cause.
2 hours to complete
9 videos (Total 87 min), 1 reading
9 videos
Biography of Sayyid Qutb10m
Qutb’s Milestones and a Muslim Revival8m
Qutb and Jihad8m
Roots of al Qaeda14m
Osama Bin Laden’s Ideology12m
Terminology: What Is Islamism?7m
Elements of the al Qai’da Ideology4m
Flaws in the al Qai’da Ideology4m
1 reading
Week 4: Required Reading10m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM UNDERSTANDING 9/11: WHY 9/11 HAPPENED & HOW TERRORISM AFFECTS OUR WORLD TODAY
by ALSep 17, 2018
Excelent, what I love the most was what we learned about Islam, now we can thinking this issues under many points of view. Thanks for sharing your knowledge :D
by MGNov 13, 2019
Very interesting course, especially the primer on Islam. The quality of the sound of the videos is sometimes a bit poor, but understandable.
by DBOct 22, 2018
An excellent course that has helped gain invaluable knowledge as well as skills ,the course content and dsign was captivating enjoyed.
by DSAug 5, 2020
Great course for understanding roots of terrorism and how false interpretation causes it.
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