The work that we undertook throughout this project shows that, in some ways, counter-terrorism review operates well. The ‘pluralistic jumble’ that is the counter-terrorism review assemblage has significant strengths. It is often able to ensure that counter-terrorism is subjected to real evaluation: that merit is assessed, that reality is engaged with, and that there is … Continue reading “Problematising Counter-Terrorism Review”
Author: Fiona de Londras
Notes from the Field: Making an Impact through Counter-Terrorism Review
It was very clear from conversations with interviewees that they sought to effect change through their engagement in counter-terrrism review, although the nature of the review in question might well determine its desired impact. For most of our interviewees, the question of whether review activities led directly to change, including the revision of approaches, laws … Continue reading “Notes from the Field: Making an Impact through Counter-Terrorism Review”
Notes from the Field: The Values that Underpin Counter-Terrorism Review
In this research, we were interested in what values our interviewees thought counter-terrorism review did and should reflect, and how they pursued those values in practice. There was a notable unity of values across the assemblage. Interviewees conceptualised counter-terrorism review as being underpinned by the values of democracy, transparency, credibility, and independence. Views on how … Continue reading “Notes from the Field: The Values that Underpin Counter-Terrorism Review”
Notes from the Field: The Purposes of Counter-Terrorism Review
One of our key questions was what actors involved in counter-terrorism review (CTR) considered the purposes of CTR to be. We explored this in our interviews, and while interviewees indicated different starting propositions about what counter-terrorism review is for, in the end there was a fairly narrow range of purposes identified across the wide range … Continue reading “Notes from the Field: The Purposes of Counter-Terrorism Review”
The counter-terrorist state and the need for accountability
One of the major claims we make in Accountability and Review in the Counter-Terrorist State is that the UK is a counter-terrorist state: a state in which counter-terrorism law, policy discourse, and operations are mainstreamed across the domains of law and government in forms that are conceptualised and designed as being ‘permanent’ in at least some cases. This … Continue reading “The counter-terrorist state and the need for accountability”
Conceptualising Counter-Terrorism Review
We use the term ‘counter-terrorism review’ to describe the assemblage of actors, processes and actions related to accountability for the counter-terrorist state. This assemblage includes but goes beyond juridical and parliamentary processes of review to include bespoke counter-terrorism review bodies and actors (such as the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation), complaints bodies (such as the … Continue reading “Conceptualising Counter-Terrorism Review”
Now published: Accountability and Review in the Counter-Terrorist State
We are delighted that the book of this project, Accountability and Review in the Counter-Terrorist State is now available on general sale from Bristol University Press. In this book we bring together some of the critical findings from our research, which encompassed desk reviews, policy review, two dozen elite interviews, and a stakeholder workshop. Over … Continue reading “Now published: Accountability and Review in the Counter-Terrorist State”
What should the Independent Review of Prevent look like?
Last week, Security Minister Ben Wallace announced an independent review of Prevent – the government’s strategy for supporting people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. The announcement represented the Government ceding to repeated calls for such a review. The House of Lords had just inserted a new clause into the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill … Continue reading “What should the Independent Review of Prevent look like?”
The Counter-Terrorist State
As the project enters its final three months, we are busy working on the manuscript for our forthcoming book, to be published by Bristol University Press later this year. In it, we contextualise our analysis of counter-terrorism review by arguing that the UK should now be understood as a counter-terrorist state, by which we mean … Continue reading “The Counter-Terrorist State”
Expanding the Vista: Review in Transnational Counter-Terrorism
This post is written by Fiona de Londras The project that we are undertaking is very much concerned with counter-terrorism review in the UK. This focus allows us to both put some practical boundaries around the research agenda we are undertaking, and to think about how counter-terrorism review sits within existing constitutional understandings of review, … Continue reading “Expanding the Vista: Review in Transnational Counter-Terrorism”