ABSTRACT
Can critical theory contribute to finding a way through the morass so aptly described by Said? In this chapter, we argue that a Frankfurt School-inspired critical theory approach can indeed provide a rich framework for thinking about terrorism and terrorism studies which can appeal well beyond the confines of those who describe themselves as critical theorists. In particular, we aim to show how such an approach offers a framework not just for critiquing and, importantly, engaging with traditional terrorism studies, but also for addressing precisely those shortcomings that have been identified in numerous internal critiques of the field: lack of self-reflexivity, lack of contextualisation, ahistoricity, statist bias, dearth of fieldwork, and so on (see also Gunning, 2007a).2
