Anthony Richards: Conceptualising terrorism

Anthony’s research focus has been on conceptualizing terrorism, UK counter-terrorism strategy, radicalization and extremism. He has also published on a wide range of other terrorist related themes including British public and Muslim attitudes towards both terrorism and counter-terrorism, homeland security, terrorism in Northern Ireland, and terrorism and sport (he was the lead editor for the volume Terrorism and the Olympics: Major event security and lessons for the future, Routledge, 2011). His book on Conceptualizing Terrorism was published with Oxford University Press in September 2015 and was nominated (by OUP) for the Political Studies Association’s best political science book of the year award (the W.J.M. Mackenzie prize). He has presented to a wide range of academic and policymaking audiences and has contributed to briefings on terrorism and radicalization at the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He spoke at the National Security Summit in October 2015 and he convened a panel of experts and academics to discuss ‘Interpretations of terrorism, radicalisation and extremism’ at British International Studies Association’s 2015 annual conference. He was also recently invited by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit input for an OHCHR report on Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism. Some research that has influenced Anthony's career Martha Crenshaw (2011) Explaining terrorism, causes, processes and consequences Walter Reich (1990). Origins of terrorism: Psychologies, ideologies, theologies, states of mind. Alex Schmid (2004) Terrorism – The Definitional Problem Some of Anthony's key research. Conceptualizing terrorism (2015) From terrorism to ‘radicalization’ to ‘extremism’: counterterrorism imperative or loss of focus? (2015) The problem with ‘radicalization’, the remit of ‘Prevent’, and the need to refocus on terrorism in the UK (2011)