ABSTRACT
Since 9/11, states around the world have engaged in efforts to counter the so-called terrorist threat. Besides neo-colonial military projects, this has manifested itself in a mushrooming of laws, policies, and practices in the realm of counterterrorism, and an explosion of research into terrorism, extremism, and radicalization. In this chapter, drawing on my experiences as a researcher and practitioner in this field, I present reflections on how colonialities operate in counterterrorism research and praxis. From the racist pre-criminal sphere to the determinism of the Taqiya trap, they serve to alienate and marginalize, oppress, and neutralize the Black and Brown Arab-Muslim Other. Laying these colonialities bare and demonstrating their workings is a first step towards the decolonization of terrorism research and practice.
