You have the option of 1) focusing on one terrorist group that uses/used apocalyptic violence or 2) focusing on a recent event inspired or was motivated by
apocalyptic thinking.
Option 1: Focusing on a terrorist group
Analyze a politically-violent group or campaign of your choice (see suggestions below), along the same lines of inquiry that guided us throughout the course.
Namely:
1) In what ways could the ideology, language, and/or acts of the group be considered ‘apocalyptic’?
2) How might this ‘apocalyptic mindset’ have contributed to the aggressive tone and/or level of violence that were exhibited by the campaign/group?
Examples of Politically-Violent Campaigns/Groups with Apocalyptic Elements:
Charles Manson/the ‘Manson Family’
Shoko Asahara/ the ‘Aum Shinrikyo’ Group
Marshall Applewhite/ the ‘Heaven’s Gate’ group
Jim Jones/ the ‘Peoples Temple’ group
David Koresh/ the ‘Branch Davidians’ group
Early Christian (Martyrdom) Resistance to the Romans
The ideology and prophecies of the Islamic State (ISIL)
The First Jewish-Roman war against Emperor Hadrian and/or the Bar Kokhba Revolt)
Sayyid Qutb and/or The ‘Muslim Brotherhood’
Usama Bin Laden’s ‘fatwas’/ missives to Al-Qaeda followers)
Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf”
For more recent groups or campaigns, you may search for keywords like “Doomsday Cult”, “Judgment Day”, “End of Days”, “Apocalyptic”, “End of the world”,
“Extinction,” “White Genocide,” etc.
Option 2: Analyzing an event
Consider one major event with apocalyptic thinking that has occurred (or is occurring according to its proponents) throughout history and reflect on the
principles we discussed in class and how these principles appeared when this event occurred.
For example, you read about the fundamentalist mindset people who believe in these events might have. Your goal is to write a paper capturing the following
dimensions:
Why this event was construed as being apocalyptic as well as what people perceived to be at stake when/or if this event occurred.
How did the apocalyptic dimension affect how people acted or believed was the best course of action (e.g., stocking up food, engaging in violence, collective
action)?
Examples of Apocalyptic Events throughout history:
2012 – End of the Mayan Calendar
Biblical event of Armageddon
9/11
Y2K (The Year 2000)
The Year 1666
ISIS Caliphate
White Genocide
Catastrophic Climate Change
The entire paper should not exceed FIVE (5) pages, and should have no cover page or abstract. Paragraphs should be double-spaced, with 1’’ margin and an
11-12pt Times New Roman font throughout. APA format is preferred for citations (but don’t obsess over it).
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