Extreme Politics: Radicals, Revolutionaries, and Terrorists

If it is a truism of politics that the center is always stable, then why do certain individuals and movements constantly gravitate toward the extreme left and right? What drives people toward more extreme viewpoints and ideologies around politics? For civil discourse to thrive, we need to understand why we see the world the way we do and also why others may view it differently -- sometimes very much so. Using contemporary case studies and focusing on politics while also drawing on insights from fields such as psychology, biology, and sociology, this course will investigate the sources and causes of political extremism and radicalism, as well as potential solutions.

Format: online, asynchronous

Dates Available: September 30 - November 22 (8 weeks)

Optional Synchronous Q&A Sessions with Professor Zook (through Zoom):

Session 1 details: Friday, October 25, 10:00 - 11:30 AM Pacific

Session 2 details: Monday, November 18, 12:30 - 2:00 PM Pacific

Course Expectations: 

This course includes eight 90-minute videos that students can engage with in their own time. The synchronous sessions to meet the instructor and engage with other alumni are optional and there will not be any mandatory reading material or assignments.

Required Materials:

Access to a computer with internet connectivity

Instructor Bio:

Darren Zook teaches in Political Science and International and Area Studies at UC Berkeley, where he has been a faculty member for over 20 years. His research interests include human rights, comparative Asian politics, international law, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.