Contradictions of Terrorism

An invaluable addition to the literature on terrorism that examines the profound impact of 9/11 on the discipline of criminology and elaborates the theoretical and empirical contributions that criminology can make to our understanding of the "new" terrorism. Its provocative and engaging approach challenges the reader to question common assumptions about what terrorism is, who its perpetrators are, and what combatting it requires. Wide-ranging substantive analysis and insightful exploration of key concepts like risk, pre-emption, preparedness and resilience render this a must-read book for all students and scholars of terrorism and security. - Lucia Zedner, Professor of Criminal Justice, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, UK This critical, multi-layered and multifaceted discussion of the concepts of risk, security, resilience and vulnerability is theoretically sophisticated and empirically rich. The books insightful analysis of the way the discourse of "new terrorism" has constructed vulnerable individuals and communities as risky, cast them as targets of pre-emptive interventions, and the consequences this has for targeted groups, delivers fully on its promise to uncover the many contradictions of contemporary terrorism and counter-terrorism. A must-read for anybody working in the field of risk analysis and security management. - Lasse Lindekilde, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, Denmark

Sandra Walklate is Eleanor Rathbone Chair of Sociology and Gabe Mythen is a Reader in Sociology. Both are based in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool. The authors have established an international reputation for their joint work on risk, security and victimisation, which appears in a range of esteemed journals.

Introduction 1. 9/11: Risk Creep, Fear and Securitization 2. Constructing New Terrorism: Discourse, Representation and Ideology 3. The War on Terror: Power, Violence and Hegemony 4. Countering Terrorism? Risk, Pre-emption and Partial Securities 5. Terrorism and Exclusion: risky subjects, suspect populations 6. Managing Terrorism: From Risk to Resilience? Conclusion: (Re)Orienting criminology.