Learning Objectives

After finishing this chapter, you should be able to:

  • Define civil war and terrorism.
  • Identify the causes and consequences of civil war.
  • Examine civil war’s causes and consequences in some recent cases.
  • Understand how terrorist actors use communication and information technology.
  • Identify some prominent explanations of terrorism.
  • Articulate the ways in which international interactions shape, and are shaped by, civil war and terrorism.
  • Discuss how international actors respond to civil war and terrorism, including through peacekeeping, peacebuilding, counterinsurgency, and counterterrorism.
  • Consider the risks of cyberattacks and the ways in which information and communications technology may be harnessed to launch computer-based attacks.