PURPOSE OF THE COURSE:

As the title suggests, War on Terror in a Post-9/11 World, sets out to explore the political and legal landscape of America's counter-terrorism campaign since September 11th, 2001. The interdisciplinary seminar unfolds in three parts: (1) the war on terror at home; (2) the war on terror abroad; (3) recent shifts in criminal justice and social control. In the first segment, students will critique Scapegoats of September 11th: Hate Crimes and State Crimes in the War on Terror. Some of the key topics include: Talking About Terror; Seeking a Safer Society; Scapegoating and Social Insecurity; Crusading Against Terror; Hate Crimes as Backlash Violence; Profiling in Post-9/11 America; Claiming Effectiveness; Assaulting Civil Liberties; and Culture of Denial. Turning attention to America's war on terror beyond its territory, students shall examine the following book: Crimes of Power & States of Impunity: The U.S. Response to Terror. Among the issues to be discussed are: A New Configuration of Power; Unlawful Enemy Combatants; Guant‡namo Bay; Torture; Ordering Iraq; Collateral Damage; Governing through Terror; and States of Impunity.

Intent of using the seminar as a springboard for current research, students will discuss topics contained in my forthcoming book: Denial of Trial: America's Abuse of Detention at Home and Abroad The purpose of this project is to understand how the war on terror (as an organizing principle) shapes similar practices in criminal justice, most notably, prolonged detention without trial. Indeed, such misuse of detention has become emblematic of crimmigration (the convergence of crime and immigration control). While considering the theoretical work of Michel Foucault on Biopower, this segment of the seminar maps out other spheres of Denial of Trial, including the killing of Osama bin Laden as well as the government's recent assassination of US citizens (e.g., Anwar al-Awlaki).

REQUIRED READINGS:

Welch, Michael (2006) Scapegoats of September 11th: Hate Crimes and State Crimes in the War on Terror. New Brunswick, NJ & London: Rutgers University Press.

Welch, Michael (2009) Crimes of Power & States of Impunity: The U.S. Response to Terror. New Brunswick, New Jersey & London: Rutgers University Press.

Please note that Professor Welch does not profit financially from the sales of his books purchased by Rutgers students. All royalties are donated to a Rutgers University educational fund. Moreover, students are encouraged to purchase used copies of the books. Cheers.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE:

Two Exams: 100 points each
Term Paper: 100 points
Total Semester Points: 300

There are NO extra-credit assignments.

EXAM 1

Greetings Most Excellent Honor Students! Due to overwhelming popular demand, I am pleased to announce the first exam of the semester. Below are three items worth 33 points each (including a bonus point for correctly spelling your name). Your responses should be informed by the assigned reading (Scapegoats of September 11th: Hate Crimes and State Crimes in the War on Terror, by Michael Welch) and be limited to three single spaced pages per answer. The exam is due on Tuesday, October 23 at 3:20pm. Deliver it to me in class (with a smile) and not via email. Penalties apply for late arrivals.

1) Describe how terror is "talked about" in post-9/11 America and explain where such discourse is taking us (e.g., in terms of militarism, criminal justice, civil liberties, imperialism). Include examples not discussed in the book.

2) Explain the problem of hate crimes and state crimes in post-9/11 America. How should society (and/or government) deal with those matters? Include examples not discussed in the book.

3) Identify three controversies contained in the USA Patriot Act. Include examples not discussed in the book.

EXAM 2

Greetings Again Most Excellent Honor Students! Due to overwhelming popular demand, I am pleased to announce the SECOND exam of the semester. Below are two items worth 50 points each (sorry, no bonus points this time around). Your responses should be informed by the assigned reading (Crimes of Power & States of Impunity: The U.S. Response to Terror by Michael Welch) and be limited to five single spaced pages per answer. The exam is due on Thursday, November 29 at 3:23pm. Deliver it to me in class (with a blank stare) and not via email. Penalties apply for late arrivals.

1) Based on your reading of the book Crimes of Power, which are your three MOST favorite chapters and explain why? Do NOT include the chapter that you presented in class.

2) Based on your reading of the book Crimes of Power, which are your three LEAST favorite chapters and explain why? Do NOT include the chapter that you presented in class.

TERM PAPER

Greetings Again and Again Most Excellent Honor Students! Due to overwhelming popular demand, I am pleased to announce the item for the TERM PAPER. For 100 points, choose a war on terror issue not fully discussed in either book (Scapegoats of September 11th or Crimes of Power). Articulate the significance of the issue as well as how best to resolve the problem. Bolster your essay by citing specific examples. The paper should be 5 (single spaced) pages not including fancy title sheet and references. Please follow the citation style contained in the book Crimes of Power. The paper is due on Tuesday, December 11 at 3:27pm. Deliver it to me in class (with a snarky look) and not via email. Penalties apply for late arrivals. Please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope and Professor Welch (with the assistance of the United States Postal Service) will mail it back to you during the hectic holiday season (womp).

Final Grades:

90 - 100% A
87 - 89% B+
80 - 86% B
77 - 79% C+
70 - 76% C
60 - 69% D
00 - 59% F

Nota Bene: Tape (audio, video) recording lectures are strictly prohibited, along with note taking for commercial purposes.

IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR ME?

Students often enroll in a class without the benefit of knowing much about the course, the professor, and what is expected of them. In deciding whether this course suits your personal needs, interests, and lifestyle, the following checklist may be of assistance. Should you have difficulty with any of these items, this course is probably not suited for you.

1. Attendance and punctuality
2. Rigorous reading assignments and challenging exams
3. Being aware of current events and the world around you
4. Tolerance for the ideas and opinions of others
5. Remaining attentive and riveted to each lecture
6. Abstract thinking and critical thought
7. True and amazing stories

Program in Criminal Justice, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, March 2008

Learning Goals: A Statement of Principles

The Program Committee for the Program in Criminal Justice at Rutgers University in New Brunswick has adopted a series of learning goals for students who complete the major. These goals represent the consensus of the faculty regarding the concepts a student should grasp and the skills a student should acquire in the course of completing the major. These goals guide the choices faculty make about the structure of the curriculum and the requirements for our majors. Moreover, they guide faculty and instructors preparing course material and teaching courses.

The Program in Criminal Justice will provide students with a rich understanding of crime and criminal justice in the United States and abroad through an interdisciplinary approach that blends a strong liberal arts educational experience with pre-professional instruction in the field of criminal justice. Graduates of the program will be well-informed citizens on the topic of crime and justice, and qualified for graduate study or for employment as practitioners in a variety of legal, policymaking, and law enforcement fields.

Criminal justice majors graduating from a research university should be able to use critical thinking, factual inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to individual and group behavior. In addition, students should have an understanding of the legal, political and policymaking processes that affect criminal justice systems in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Finally, students should be familiar with the institutional structures and latest developments in the field in order to engage in meaningful debate about current public policy issues.

Learning Goals for Criminal Justice Majors

Competence:

Theory. Students who complete the major in criminal justice should understand and be able to articulate, both orally and in writing, the core theoretical concepts that form the foundation of analysis and research in criminology and criminal justice today. Core concepts are derived from explanations of crime from a variety of perspectives, including biogenic, psychological, and sociological approaches. There are myriad theories of crime that are informed by these perspectives, including, classical, control, critical, ecology, labeling, learning, strain, and trait-based approaches. Theoretical literacy should extend to multicultural and international understanding.

Institutions. Students who complete the major in criminal justice should understand the special role of three types of institutions: Police, Corrections, and Courts. In addition, students should know how institutional forms vary across jurisdictions and how these institutions interact with and influence each other.

Research Methods. Students who complete the criminal justice major should be familiar with the tools, techniques, and data sources necessary for empirical analysis. Students should understand the various ways that empirical analysis is used in the scientific approach: for description, for developing, and for testing theories. They should be able to analyze data using computer applications and should be familiar with basic statistical techniques and regression analysis. They should be able to read and assess research from a wide range of sources, including general interest, academic, and government publications.

Critical Thinking: Upon completion of the major students should be able to apply their understanding of core concepts and quantitative tools to analyze and research real world problems, and evaluate alternative policy proposals on a range of criminal justice issues, from micro-level analyses relevant to particular cases to management concerns to macro-level analyses of legislative and other broad-scale policies. Accomplishment of this goal will require that students can apply their literacy and numeracy skills to different institutional structures, within the U.S. and across countries.

Scholarship: Qualified majors should have an opportunity through such avenues as advanced coursework, internships, and faculty interactions to conduct independent research on matters of central relevance to the field of criminal justice.