Course features

What is terrorism—and how should societies respond effectively and ethically? More than two decades after 9/11, threats and extremist networks continue to evolve. Understanding the dilemmas of counterterrorism—where strategy, law, intelligence, media and morality intersect—has never been more urgent.

This course examines the major debates shaping modern counterterrorism. You will explore fundamental questions such as: Who is a terrorist? What causes terrorism? How should democracies balance liberty with security? Can targeted killings or mass surveillance ever be justified? And, after years of the so-called “War on Terror”, what has actually worked?

You’ll examine:

• Evolving definitions, models and drivers of terrorism.
• Legal, ethical and political dilemmas in response.
• State sponsorship and intelligence-sharing challenges.
• Strategy successes, failures and unintended consequences.
• Impacts on democratic values, trust and social cohesion.

Led by Dr Michele Groppi, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies at King’s College London, the course blends rigorous academic theory with practical insight from policy and practice. Drawing on global case studies and contemporary research, you’ll build analytical tools to evaluate the effectiveness—and legitimacy—of counterterrorism approaches.

By the end, you will be able to assess competing strategies, weigh legal and ethical trade-offs, and reflect on the future of security in an era of complex and adaptive threats.

This course would be relevant to those working in the intelligence and security sector. No prior knowledge is required, so anyone who wishes to explore issues in terrorism, counterterrorism, radicalisation, and extremism – as such, social workers, educators, religious leaders, journalists, diplomats, and students of international relations and political science - would also benefit from this course.

Course format

This course is delivered through the edX learning platform and is designed to be completed in approximately 5 hours.

What you'll learn

• Analyse definitions and models of terrorism

• Identify key causes and radicalisation drivers

• Evaluate ethics, law and human rights

• Examine intelligence sharing and cooperation challenges

• Interpret state support to terrorist actors

• Compare successes and failures in strategy

• Assess effectiveness and legitimacy of responses

• Apply critical frameworks to case studies

• Communicate evidence-based policy recommendations

• Reflect on democracy, security and trust

Course content

Unit 1: Introduction to Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Discover how fear, perception, and politics shape the meaning of terrorism. Compare rival definitions and survey the main schools of counterterrorism, from hard security to prevention and community-led approaches.

Unit 2: The Causes and Drivers of Terrorism
Examine why individuals and groups turn to violence—ideology, identity, grievance, opportunity, and networks—and learn why single-factor explanations rarely fit complex realities.

Unit 3: Terrorism and the Law
Analyse the legal and ethical boundaries of counterterrorism. Debate detention, surveillance, targeted killing, and due process, and assess how democracies uphold rights while confronting real threats.

Unit 4: Terrorism and the State
Investigate state sponsorship and proxy warfare, with focused cases such as Iran. Explore obstacles to intelligence sharing—trust, secrecy, legality—and the consequences for national and allied security.

Unit 5: Assessing the Effectiveness of Counterterrorism Strategies
Compare successes and failures across the “War on Terror”. Evaluate metrics of effectiveness, unintended harms, and best practice, and formulate evidence-based recommendations for future policy.

Entry requirements

No formal requirements. English proficiency recommended (IELTS Level 6). 

Further information

King’s College London has partnered with the online education platform edX to deliver open-access, self-paced courses to learners worldwide. Anyone can audit the course materials for free, excluding graded assessments, for a limited time.

For full access to the course, including graded assessments, and to obtain a verified certificate upon successful completion, the USD fee is $249.

The GBP course fee displayed on this page is for illustrative purposes only and subject to change in line with current exchange rates.

Payment for verified access to the course is made directly via edX. Please see edX Terms of Service for further information.