ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the concept of homeland security, and practices carried out in its name, against the backdrop of the global war against terrorism. It begins with a brief overview of the concept of terrorism in comparative and historical context. The discussion then turns to consider two cases of the response to the perceived threat of terrorism by Western governments: the rise of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the US; and parallel counterterrorism initiatives in the UK. Connecting the study of homeland security and the war against terrorism with some of the theoretical perspectives outlined in Part I, the chapter then introduces two prominent ‘applications’ of critical thinking in security studies: ‘critical terrorism studies’ and the CHALLENGE project. Finally, especially in the light of the changing imperatives of the Obama presidency, the chapter ends by questioning the future direction of the war against terrorism.
