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the core commitments of critical terrorism studies

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Abstract

Critical terrorism studies (CTS) is founded firstly on a series of powerful critiques of the current state of orthodox terrorism studies, including: its poor methods and theories, its state centricity, its problem-solving orientation and its institutional and intellectual links to state security projects. Defined broadly by a sceptical attitude towards accepted terrorism ‘knowledge’, CTS is also characterised by a set of core epistemological, ontological and ethical commitments, including: an appreciation of the politically constructed nature of terrorism knowledge; an awareness of the inherent ontological instability of the ‘terrorism’ category; a commitment to critical reflexivity regarding the uses to which research findings are put; a set of well-defined research ethics and a normative commitment to an emancipatory political praxis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Politics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 3FE, UK

    Richard Jackson

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  1. Richard Jackson
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Jackson, R. the core commitments of critical terrorism studies. Eur Polit Sci 6, 244–251 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.eps.2210141

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