Political Violence in Representative Democracies – Causes and Consequences

In this course, we will study different forms of political violence: terrorism, extremist violence, protest violence, and riots. We will explore the differences and commonalities between these types of political violence, their causes, and their political consequences. We will look into the spatial and temporal distribution of political violence in representative democracies and put focus on particular cases (e.g., terrorism in Spain, riots in India, environmental sabotage in the United States, or right-wing extremist violence in Germany). We will also discuss alternatives to political violence, such as nonviolent protest and resistance, and we will reflect on its efficacy in promoting political change.