| Date | Class | Week | Lecture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-16 | 1 | 1 | Introduction and types of political violence |
| 2025-10-23 | 2 | 2 | Causes: setting the stage for political violence |
| 2025-10-30 | 3 | 3 | Radicalisation |
| 2025-11-06 | 4 | 4 | Selecting violent/nonviolent strategies |
| 2025-11-13 | 5 | 5 | Radical subcultures and mobilisation |
| 2025-11-20 | 6 | 6 | Leadership |
| 2025-12-04 | 7 | 8 | Foreign fighters |
| 2025-12-11 | 8 | 9 | Election-related violence |
| 2025-12-18 | 9 | 10 | Escalation and restraint |
| 2026-01-08 | 10 | 13 | Local support and public reaction |
| 2026-01-15 | 11 | 14 | State responses: policies |
| 2026-01-22 | 12 | 15 | State responses: repression |
| 2026-01-29 | 13 | 16 | Addressing violence online |
| 2026-02-05 | 14 | 17 | Disengagement, deradicalisation (individual), demobilisation (organisational) |
Political Violence in Germany
Instructor: Dr. Michael C. Zeller
Email: m.zeller@lmu.de (please use your LMU email address for communication)
Webpage: https://michaelzeller.de/
Office hour: Wednesdays, 11.00 - 12.00
Office: GSI (Oettingenstr. 67) Room H105
Course particulars
- Course level: BA
- Course format: seminar
- Module assignment: Einführung in das Politische System Deutschlands
Course description
This course will introduce students to the major aspects of (non-state) political violence by presenting research covering violent extremism and terrorism, radicalisation and deradicalisation, repression, demobilisation. We will consider why people and groups use political violence and how, its range of effects, how states and others react. Students will acquire both substantive knowledge of these research fields—especially through the repeated examination of important cases, such as political violence in Germany and in other countries—and the ability to evaluate research therein. Students should be prepared for reading and discussion of difficult topics, which can be unsettling.
Course schedule overview
Course and Teacher evaluation
Student input for the purpose of course improvement is taken very seriously and will potentially be done periodically. Please take the time to evaluate this course and the instructor, especially at the end of the semester. Evaluations will in no way affect your grade.