Contextualization

Terrorism is a complex, multifactorial phenomenon that is fundamental to understanding the current world. It is a phenomenon that took its modern form in the 20th century, but whose roots can be traced back to the beginning of civilization. Terrorism is an extreme form of political conflict aimed at creating fear in the population through violence or the threat of violence.

We can divide the history of modern terrorism into three main phases: political terror that emerged in the late 19th century and inspired us to coin the term 'terrorism'; revolutionary and resistance terrorism after World War II; and religious terrorism that rose to notoriety in the late 20th century.

The study of terrorism is vital for a number of reasons. First, it is a political strategy that has been used throughout history by a variety of political actors, from governments to rebel groups. Understanding terrorism gives us insight into the motivations and methods of these actors. Furthermore, terrorism has a profound impact on society and politics, both domestically and internationally. Therefore, the study of terrorism is essential for anyone interested in understanding contemporary politics.

For a more comprehensive start to the research, I suggest you explore the Scielo digital library and Google Scholar. Both contain a wide variety of academic articles on the subject. Additionally, on the YouTube platform, there are some videos from BBC Brazil and Nexo Jornal, which have very educational content on the topic.

Practical Activity: 'The Genesis of Terrorism'

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to offer students an in-depth view of the terrorism phenomenon, analyzing its key factors and impacts on contemporary society.

Detailed Project Description

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people and will be tasked with creating an 'Interactive Virtual Museum' about terrorism. The museum should contain distinct rooms, each focusing on a specific aspect of terrorism (such as its various forms, causes, effects on society, and strategies to combat it). The museum rooms should be designed to provide an interactive educational experience through quizzes, videos, infographics, and games.

Required Materials

• Internet access
• Digital design tools (can be any available for free online)
• Web hosting platform like WordPress, Wix, or Google Sites

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Organize: Assign specific roles to each group member (researcher, designer, reviewer, etc.)
2. Research: Conduct a detailed research on the project topics using reliable sources
3. Sketch: Draw a sketch of how the digital museum will be. Decide what kind of interactivity each room will have.
4. Construction: Start building the virtual museum on the chosen website. Make it attractive and interactive.
5. Review and Improvement: After the initial construction of the site, carefully review the content and design. Improve it until it reaches the appropriate level.

Project Deliverables

• Interactive Virtual Museum: The museum site must be submitted as the central piece of the evaluation.
• Written Document: This should follow the report format mentioned in the introduction, including a contextualization about terrorism, theoretical explanation, detailed description of the work done in the project, results obtained, and conclusion. The last section of this report should be a 'logbook', where students indicate their individual contributions to the project. They should also list the resources used throughout the research in the Bibliography section.

In this project, students will mainly be using their research, analysis, writing, design, and cooperation skills. The final report should demonstrate how these skills were applied during the project. Teamwork is essential, and therefore, each team member must contribute to the creation of the virtual museum and the elaboration of the document.