Selecting any ONE reading from the course text, Chaliand and Blin (eds.), The History of Terrorism: From
Antiquity to ISIS, you should critically analyze its content and produce a short but insightful essay. This
essay should consist of the following:
¢ Thesis — based on your understanding of the reading, what is the author’s main thesis or argument?
« Analysis — how does the author develop and support their thesis? What kind of documentary evidence do
they rely on? What problems do they face in tackling their subject, and how successful are they in dealing
with them?
« Interpretation — assess the significance and importance of the reading. What are its strengths and
weaknesses? What questions, if any, did it fail to address?
« Conclusion — did the author satisfactorily demonstrate their thesis? In your opinion, what is the reading’s
main contribution to our understanding of terrorism? Did it leave any questions unanswered? If so, what
additional topics does the author need to consider? Finally, assess your overall enjoyment of the reading.