ABSTRACT

As the chapters in this volume demonstrate, critical terrorism studies (CTS) incorporates and draws inspiration from a rich array of theoretical approaches and research traditions. We would argue that this kind of analytical and disciplinary eclecticism is a real source of strength in terrorism research, because the inclusion of multiple perspectives and diverse voices enlivens and enriches our understanding of the various dimensions of the phenomenon. At the same time, within the different approaches and traditions represented in this book, we believe there is a shared set of concerns and commitments which collectively constitute a discernible and discrete ‘critical’ approach to the study of political terrorism. More than simply a call for better scholarship, we argue that CTS entails a comprehensive intellectual orientation which speaks to all the important dimensions of research practice: ontology, epistemology, methodology, ethics, and praxis.