The MA in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security offered by the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy in collaboration with the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University is a cutting edge program that combines academic study, simulations and workshops which offer special tools for critical thinking in this field.
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MA Government Counter-Terrorism & Homeland Security Studies
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About the Program
- The courses provide concentrated, in-depth exposure to the phenomenon of modern terrorism and its characteristics, modus operandi, scope and dissemination throughout the world.
- Students have the option to apply for the Counter-Terrorism & Homeland Security Specialization with Thesis.
- Students will obtain an understanding of the challenge this phenomenon presents to decision-makers, security establishments, first responders, legal systems and the business sector, based on the experience Israel has accumulated in the field.
What Will You Study?
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Specialization (16 Credits)
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Prof. Boaz Ganor & Mr. Stevie Weinberg
The course 'Dilemmas in Counter-Terrorism Decision-Making: Reflections from TV Shows' will analyze the main dilemmas in Counter-Terrorism Decision-Making in different areas (intelligence, offensive, defensive, legislative, etc...). Students will be introduced to these dilemmas in an innovative way: both by interaction with former decision-makers and by writing together a synopsis for a script for a TV series that will present and analyze these dilemmas from an Israeli Perspective.
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Dr. Eitan Azani
The Radical Islamic Ideologies Course will deepen the student's understanding and knowledge of the development of radical Islamic ideologies, the reciprocal relations between them and competitive Muslim and Western ideologies. The course will deal, inter alia, with "the ideological attack", the merging of various radical ideologies, and the manner in which they have been translated into policy and operational strategies. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding the part played by the various philosophers in the development of the ideological cogitation, from Ibn Hanbal (in the 9 century) to Abu Mushab Al-Suri, Al Qaida's ideologist (21 century).
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Prof. Assaf Moghadam
Terrorism is a tactic most often employed in the context of broader conflicts and armed struggles. Of these, civil wars have become the predominant form in recent years and decades, as the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Syria have demonstrated. Invariably, these civil wars feature insurgencies-- organized, protracted politico-military struggle designed to weaken the control and legitimacy of an established government, occupying power, or other political authority while increasing insurgent control. The purpose of this course is to examine the causes, nature, and termination of civil wars. Special emphasis is placed on the conduct of civil wars—the nature of insurgency and counterinsurgency. The course provides both historical and theoretical perspectives, while examining contemporary scholarly and policy debates on these issues.
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Adv. Daniel Reisner
The course will address the attempts to find the right balance between national security and human rights, in the context of terrorism and other national security threats. The course will focus specifically on three case-studies - Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom, although practices in other countries will also be discussed.
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Dr. Ely Karmon
Since the March 1995 sarin attack in the Tokyo underground, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism is considered the major security threat to the international community and modern society. The course will examine the history of CBRN terrorism in modern times and analyze the incidents of non-conventional (Weapons of Mass Destruction – WMD) terrorism since the 1970s. Some major case-studies of chemical and biological terrorism (the AUM Shinrikiyo and Rajneshee cults, the anthrax attack in the US in 2001) and radiological incidents (Goiania, Brazil in 1985) will be analyzed in depth; the threat of non-conventional terrorism from Palestinian organizations and Al-Qaeda in the Middle East and beyond. The course will also examine the impact of the instability in the Arab world on the threat of proliferation of CBRN weapons or agents from states to terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, especially in Syria, Iraq, Libya and beyond.
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Prof. Assaf Moghadam
Terrorism is predominantly viewed as a form of political violence carried out by terrorist organizations, but contemporary terrorism is carried out by a host of actors that include, but are not limited to, formal organizations. Whether employed as a tactic or a strategy, terrorism is increasingly carried out by a broader variety of actors that range from formal entities such as terrorist organizations and states to informal actors such as lone wolves, loose networks, foreign fighters, or terrorist entrepreneurs. This course examines the broad variety of actors that are involved in contemporary terrorism, while highlighting the growing importance of informal actors in terrorism.
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Dr. Eran Shadach
The course will cover the theoretical concepts and psychological tools required to understand the psychological aspects of terrorism, and will deliver into the comprehensive world of terrorism from a psychological perspective. The course will demonstrate a psychological analysis of terrorists, terrorist leaders, and terrorist organizations using concepts and tools in the field of social psychology, individual psychology, and group psychology. The course will include lectures as well as practice building psychological profiles of terrorists.
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Dr. Eitan Azani
The course will deal with Hezbollah's social and ideological sources in its organizational development processes and the factors influencing these processes in recent decades. In this context, we will analyze the organization's policy in the political, social and terrorist spheres, while examining the strategies of action taken to implement its policy. We will also discuss the relations between Hezbollah, Iran and Syria to understand how they evolve over time. Course Rationale This course offers students a general understanding of Shi’a terrorism by particularly focusing on Hezbollah as a hybrid terrorist organization. Additionally, it provides students with thinking tools and models to identify, analyze and understand the patterns of action and trends of hybrid terrorist organizations to help them understand ways to deal with such organizations.
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Prof. Gabriel Weimann
Terrorism have always relied on the mass media for publicity, psychological warfare, propaganda and political achievements. But then came the Internet. As it burgeoned, the Internet was hailed as an integrator of cultures and a medium for businesses, consumers, and governments to communicate with one another. It appeared to offer unparalleled opportunities for the creation of a forum in which the “global village” could meet and exchange ideas, stimulating and sustaining democracy throughout the world. However, with the enormous growth in the size and use of the Internet, utopian visions of the promise of the online media were challenged by the proliferation of pornographic and violent content on the web and by the use of the Internet by extremist organizations of various kinds. Terrorist groups started using the network to distribute their propaganda, to communicate with their supporters, to foster public awareness of and sympathy for their causes, and even to execute operations. Terror groups started using social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and internet forums to spread their messages, recruit members and gather intelligence. Recently the Dark Net was added to their online arsenal.
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Dr. Sagit Yehoshua
This course will discuss in details the history and practice of the method of criminal profiling with a focus on the unique aspect of this method in relation to terrorism. The participants will be exposed to interesting case studies and will enrich their basic knowledge relate to the work of different scholars and experts in the field. Furthermore, there will be an analysis of specific profiles of different terrorist groups, individuals and leaders to allow the possible prediction of their behavior and future conduct.
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Dr. Eitan Azani
The course will introduce issues of terrorism financing of Global Jihad on three levels: the nature of the threat and financing sources, the phenomenon of terrorist financing according to region, and the campaign of the international community against terrorism financing. The first part of the course will deal with the nature and significance of the threat of terrorism financing; in this section general models will be presented to clarify the ways and methods of the financing. This section will also deal with the role and characteristics of the activities of state sponsors/financers of terrorism, with an emphasis on Iran and Saudi Arabia. In the second part of the course we will discuss the character of terrorism financing, focusing on specific regions (such as Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas) and the modus operandi of the financing bodies along with the behavior and position of the terrorist organizations in the campaign. The global Da’wa infrastructure will be emphasized as a means used to advance the enlistment of finances to terrorist organizations on the one hand, and for legitimate purposes on the other. The third part of the course will deal with the developments in the international campaign to counter terrorism financing around the globe, led by the U.N. In this section will be a case study comparison of the American campaign against terrorism financing vs. the European campaign.
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Prof. Dmitry Adamsky
The purpose of the course is to provide a basic understanding of nuclear deterrence and its development during the cold war period. The danger of an apocalyptic nuclear war had produced a very extensive body of thinking including concepts and strategies that helped preventing such a war. Some of these concepts have since become more common but sometimes have also been inaccurately used. The relevance of these concepts for the present (and the future) requires careful study of the conditions and constraints under which nuclear deterrence strategies developed during the cold war. The course will start with general introduction to nuclear energy, examine the basics of nuclear deterrence and then cover the relevant development of the main concepts and practical policies concerning nuclear deterrence during that period. The validity of these concepts, analyses and strategy of nuclear deterrence will be examined by studying the development of NATO nuclear policy, a number of international crises with considerable nuclear dimension including the main crisis between India and Pakistan. The course will examine the value and contributions of nuclear arms control treaties, the NPT, and the vision of nuclear free world.
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Ms. Miri Eisin
The course will expose the participants to the multi-dimensional world of intelligence and cyber warfare. The participants will analyze through case studies the diverse challenges intelligence communities face in the current geopolitical world, with an emphasis on the Israeli Middle Eastern environment. The focus will be on decision making within the intelligence world and their relationship with political leadership in democracies.
Cluster in Cyber-Terrorism 14 Credit Hours
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Dr. David Movshovitz
The course goal is to introduce cyber-security to managers and decision-makers. In the course we will learn the main concepts of cyber-security, discuss the cyberspace technology fundamentals, and the usage of cryptography to ensure data confidentiality and data integrity in the cyberspace.
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Dr. David Movshovitz
The course is the continuation of the course "Introduction to cyber security". In the course we will discuss the various threats to application and information systems, such as viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware, how they attack, who are the attackers, what are their motivation, and how we should protect against these threats by implementing security mechanisms such as encryption, digital signatures, authentication, authorization, auditing, intrusion detection and prevention systems, etc.
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Dr. Eitan Azani
The following topics will be discussed during the class:
1. THE THREAT INTERNET AS A PLATFORM -The Use of Internet by Terrorist Organizations and Religious Justifications - Al Qaeda – Evolution, structure, modus operandi, policy and strategy: The transformation from the real world into the virtual and the combination of both -Jihadi Websites and Forums: General Overview -Communication Strategy of Terrorist Organization on the Internet: Use of Internet for Public Relation, Da’wa and Recruitment - Use of Internet for Operational Issues: Virtual Courses, Financing, ethos of Jihad and How to disseminate knowledge -Use of Internet as a Platform to Conduct Terrorist Attack: Case Studies -Use of Internet for Intelligence Operation: Case Studies -The use of Internet by Terrorist Organizations: Case studies of Hezbollah -Current issues in information security.
2. ELECTRONIC JIHAD – DEFENSIVE ELECTRONIC JIHAD – OFFENSIVE THE RESPONSE The course will discuss how the cyber-space is being used by terrorist organizations for: incitement, indoctrination, training, recruitment, data-mining, intelligence, operational activities, defensive and offensive attacks. The course will use case studies from relevant Jihadi Websites, Forums, Chat-Rooms and Social Network. We will then discuss in this course the relevant typologies of cyber-attacks as well as define them. Finally, through case study analysis, we will discuss the motivation and operational capability of selective terrorist groups to operate on the cyber-space. Students are required to attend all classes and any assigned supplementary activities related to the course. Classes will consist of lectures and guest speakers.
Electives (8 Credits) - All MA-level courses can be taken as an elective, including (selected list):
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Mr. Harel Halevi
The Arabic course for international students is designed for English-speaking students worldwide. It will be conducted in English, and its content will include the fundamentals of reading and writing in Arabic, the development of basic-level speaking skills in Spoken Arabic (Palestinian dialect), the connections between Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and its various spoken dialects, and acquaintance with Arab culture. The course will adopt a communicative approach, with emphasis on current events, as they find expression in everyday life in Arab society and within the realm of countries and organizations in the Arab world, particularly in the Middle East. Students in the course will learn to communicate at a basic level with an Arabic speaker, and, through "the lens of study of Arabic language and Arab culture," will learn how to view processes taking place in Arab society and the Arab world in an informed and multidimensional manner.
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Itzhak Levanon
Egypt has for centuries been one of the world's central civilization: a country characterized by social tolerance, at the avant-garde of Middle East culture, which also occupies a critically important geostrategic position in the region. This course will examine the political, social, and security challenges Egypt has had to deal with since becoming a modern state. The course will look at the decision-making process of its different rulers, focusing on the nuances between the theoretical and the practical. The course is designed around three central pillars: a look at the country's history, its ideological undercurrents, and expectations for the future. It will look at the causes of the country's social problems and look at the deterioration of the security situation that has led to an emergence of extremism. In addition, it will address what needs to be done to restore stability and efficient government. The lecturer will bring his own first-hand testimony, as an eyewitness to the Egyptian Revolution in 2011 that led to the downfall of The President. The purpose of the course is to provide students with the tools to be able to look at the current developments in the country, conduct a self-analysis and answer one seeming endless question: Whither Egypt?
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Dr. Amichai Magen
This course invites MA students to explore the foundational ideas, institutions, and debates relating to political freedom and responsibility in the 21st century. "Liberty and Responsibility" is the motto of Reichman University, but what does it actually mean to be a free and responsible citizen? What distinguishes between closed order and open order societies? And how should young leaders safeguard freedom and guard against old and new threats to liberal democracy? This course engages with these critical issues, which are essential for both national and international leadership. The course is broadly divided into three parts. In the first third of the semester we will examine key ideas about political freedom, such Benjamin Constant's famous distinction between ancient and modern liberty, and Isiah Berlin's equally famous two concepts of freedom - negative and positive. In the second part of the course we will explore the main characteristics of free and authoritarian societies and political systems. In this context we will talk about whether the state is an instrument of freedom or oppression, about nationalism and cosmopolitanism, equality, legitimacy, trust, democracy, rights, and the rule of law. Finally, in the last part of the semester, we will discuss new threats to human freedom, such as populism, identity politics, surveillance capitalism, and unaligned Artificial Intelligence. Throughout the course we will develop critical thinking, analytical, and debate skills.
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Dr. Shaul Shay
Along the history, there are many examples of "Strategic surprises" (Pearl Harbor, the 1973 war, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 9\11 attacks). The course deals with the question what are the reasons that Intelligence services and decision makers failed to prevent "Strategic surprises". The course examines the different aspects of strategic surprise and what should be done to cope with the challenges.
The course has three main parts:
- Theoretical background.
- The strategic surprise of the 1973 war.
- The case study of the 9\11 attacks.
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Prof. Assaf Moghadam
This research seminar examines a broad variety of topics relevant to the understanding of contemporary international terrorism, while preparing MA students to write advanced research papers. Students will also present their research topics to the class. The first part of the course offers a historical sketch of international terrorism from the French Revolution onwards. The second part examines the main theoretical approaches for analyzing terrorism. Part three of the course will consist of discussions of some of the most critical policy-relevant topics related to terrorism and counterterrorism, including state-sponsored and homegrown terrorism; the foreign fighter phenomenon; the terror-crime nexus; cyberterrorism; targeted killings; deterrence; and the evolution of the global jihadi threat.
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Dr. Amichai Magen
This Research Seminar invites MA candidates to explore the relationship between governance and political violence. Contemporary global reality is shaped by a fundamental paradox with profound consequences for international peace and security. On the one hand, substantial portions of the world have achieved unprecedented political freedom, economic affluence, and interdependence - creating a virtuous circle of democracy, security, and peace. Yet on the other hand, about a third of the world's states are states whose central government is so weak that they have little practical control over much of its territory; are unable to provide essential public services; are stuck in poverty; and are characterized by widespread conflict, criminality, and corruption. Areas of limited statehood (ALS) - such as are found in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, the Sahel Region, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen - are not only havens for terrorists, but pose a complex set of security, legal and policy challenges to the international community. Why does so much of contemporary international terrorism emerge from fragile and failed states? How has the proliferation of ALS impacted terrorist organizations and their impact. And what, if anything can be done about it? Can fragile states be transformed? The research seminar challenges MA students to tackle these questions, and to explore the relationship between governance and security, state failure and international terrorism, using interdisciplinary materials and analytic approaches.
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- For the entire list of courses please refer to the Student Handbook
- The academic administration of Reichman University reserves the right to make changes to the curriculum.
- The Cluster in Cyber-Terrorism may be taken instead of the 10 hours of electives. A certificate will be accorded students who complete this program.
- Those with career goals in the US armed services, graduates of AF/N/ROTC Programs, or Military Colleges please click here to learn more about the ASL Scholarship.