We live in an era too often marked by terrorist attacks, under more anti-terrorism laws than at any other time in history.

September 11th marked a turning point in the world and in the perception of terrorism. More than 20 years after these terrorist attacks, the fight against this scourge continues to be a global priority, with growing and more complex challenges.

The terrorist threat today is fundamentally different from what the world faced in 2001. Terrorism is now increasingly transnational, geographically dispersed, and ideologically diverse, with new sources of funding and a previously different mobilization and recruitment process. It raises new threats and obstacles, employing innovative methods.

From Al-Qaeda or Aqmi to Daesh jihadists, and including the Taliban or Hamas, their threat in the targeted countries takes the form of deadly attacks directed at both law enforcement and the civilian population.

We are also increasingly faced with government sponsorship of terrorism by non-state actors, terrorism perpetrated by government agents outside of a legal framework, and acts “inherent” to state terrorism.

Cyberterrorism emerges in this equation as a result of the very evolution of terrorism. It possesses unique characteristics and takes on dangerous and challenging forms: highly covert, destructive, easy to implement, and difficult to prevent. How to effectively prevent and combat terrorism is a common problem faced by all countries in the world, in societies with ever-increasing threats and challenges. Terrorism, in its multiple and varied forms and strategies, remains focused on the same objective: spreading fear and terror.

This course aims, through an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of terrorism and the evolution of security in combating it, to understand the “new faces” of terrorism, how it operates, and in what ways it threatens contemporary societies. We will decode and explore the strategies and means to combat terrorism, the phenomenon of radicalization, and the main challenges to what is considered by many to be the main threat of the 21st century.

The course will be held in person at the Autonomous University of Lisbon. Those residing or working in other districts of the country or abroad can attend remotely/online via Zoom.

• To promote in-depth analysis of the dynamics, problems, and other issues related to contemporary transnational terrorism.
• Describe and identify some of the main characteristics of conflicts between states and non-state actors.
• To investigate and discuss responses to terrorism from the international community.
• To analyze and identify political violence and the specific characteristics of terrorist violence.
• To explore the theories underlying radicalization and how these influence government policy.

Students from various cycles of Higher Education, namely in the areas of International Relations, Political Science, History, Sociology, Geography, Economics, Communication Sciences and African Studies; Members of the Armed Forces and Security Forces and Services; Public Administration officials, particularly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Internal Administration and the Ministry of Economy; Members of intelligence services, lawyers, members of NGOs, international officials or candidates for these positions; Professionals in the areas of Social Sciences and Humanities and Law; Senior Embassy Officials; Senior officials and technicians from Municipal Councils; Companies focused on internationalization, consulting and risk analysis; Journalists.

MODULES

Conceptualization and historical evolution of terrorism
2 hours

Enquadramento jurídico do terrorismo
2 horas

Organized and terrorist methods
4 hours

International Cooperation and Intelligence Services in the fight against terrorism
2 hours

State Terrorism
3 hours

Religious terrorism
3 hours

National Movements
2 hours

Cyberterrorism
2 hours

Radicalization, Counter-Radicalization, and Deradicalization
4 hours

Counter-terrorism strategies
2 hours

Threats and challenges of contemporary terrorism
2 hours

Carlos Mendes Dias
Cátia Moreira de Carvalho
Diogo Noivo
Felipe Pathé Duarte
Joana Araújo Lopes
José Manuel Anes
Marc Marginedas
Patrícia Galvão Teles
Raquel Beleza da Silva