Why Mumbai?
RSIS Commentaries, 4 December 2008
The fact that the target was the Indian city that best captures the sub-continent's aspiration for change and development suggests the perpetrators to have been more influenced by Western nihilism and pessimism than by anything else.
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Is internet radicalization possible?
RSIS Commentaries, 22 November 2008
Ideas on the Internet do not independently transform people. The Internet is but a medium for communicating ideas that reflects society.
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Les Attentats de Londres de Juillet 2005: un Nihilisme ‘Made in the UK’
La Découverte, September 2008
Nous devrions reconnaître les dimensions nationales du terrorisme au Royaume-Uni au lieu d’imaginer que ses causes premières émanent toujours de l’étranger ou reflètent une idéologie étrangère. Il semble refléter également un sens plus large d’aliénation et de confusion qui aurait saisi le monde occidental.
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Securing Electricity: Blackout
The World Today, August-September 2008
Preventing electricity outages from cascading into major international blackouts requires an appreciation of the social dimension of such networks. A focus on extreme possibilities rather than gradual failure, and an emphasis on environmental protection over assuring supply can be the real problem.
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China’s helpful role in the new world order
China Daily, 23 July 2008
African economies are growing at higher rates than the world economy. China can help deliver some much-needed infrastructure there if it is allowed to. Its influence in the Sudan is more a sign of its weakness than its strength.
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China and Africa: A Rewarding Relationship
Times Online, 16 July 2008
China has been portrayed as the new imperialist power in Africa, but its investments there are nothing compared to those of the old imperialists. What’s more, its activities are mostly of benefit to all, as opposed to the patronizing preaching of Western NGOs.
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A superficial balance
Culture Wars, 20 June 2008
review of China's New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society, by Daniel A Bell
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Why ‘deradicalisation’ is not the answer
spiked, 5 June 2008
It's time Jacqui Smith realised that Islamist extremism is not a ‘foreign’ invader of Britain, but rather springs from our own bankrupt culture.
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History: it’s just one bloody thing after another
spiked, 30 May 2008
Having jettisoned political and historical frameworks, Michael Burleigh's story of terrorism combines a lack of insight with excessive prejudice about curry-eating loyalists and headbutting Glaswegians.
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Worst-case scenarios
International Affairs, 84: 3. 2008
review of Worst-case scenarios, by Cass R. Sunstein
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Democratizing technology
Electronic Journal of Sustainable Development, (2008) 1(2)
Review of Democratizing technology: risk, responsibility & the regulation of chemicals, by Anne Chapman
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Death of the warrior ethos
spiked, 29 February 2008
Weaving a path from Achilles to Rambo via Shakespeare and Tolstoy, Christopher Coker’s insightful new book captures the increasing demonisation of war – even ‘good wars’ – and the denigration of honour, duty and glory.
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Home-grown nihilism: the clash within civilisations
Defence Academy Journal, February 2008
What is it that propels young men from Birmingham, Burnley, Leeds or Luton – individuals with no tangible connection to Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Bosnia, Chechnya or anywhere else much beyond these shores – to choose to be, or to support, terrorists?
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Between Iraq and a hard place
Times Higher Education Supplement, 31 January 2008
In an otherwise usefully myth-debunking work on risk management in an age of war, there is no admission that debate on the invasion must go beyond cost-benefit analysis.
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Gordon Brown’s state of terror
spiked, 15 November 2007
The UK prime minister's vision for counterterrorism would involve reorganising the whole of society around precaution and fear.
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Homegrown nihilism - the clash within civilisations
The Smith Institute,Terrorism reflects a wide spectrum of causes and beliefs. Individuals who trained in camps in Afghanistan have different motivations from those who act out of a sense of vengeance in the Gaza strip. Some groups may hold global pretensions, but most have amore limited, regional focus. What it is that propels young men from Britain – individuals with no tangible connection to anywhere else much beyond these shores – to choose to be, or to support, terrorists?
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A cultural revolution at Tate Liverpool
spiked, 11 April 2007
Free of Western pessimism, the young Chinese artists on exhibition in Britain are witty and experimental.
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Is London still stressed out about 7/7?
spiked, 3 April 2007
A survey claiming that 11 per cent of Londoners were ‘substantially stressed’ by the bombings raises more questions than answers.
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Resilience in the face of terrorism
University of Warwick Business School, 9 March 2007
A video podcast of a lecture on the roots of modern terrorism and the issue of risk.
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Global terrorism: what should we really fear?
Britain Today, March 2007
The immediate problem posed by terrorists remains extremely small. But there remains the far larger problem of defining who we are, what values we uphold, and where we intend to go in the twenty-first century.
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A battle of ideas in which understanding lies among the casualties
Times Higher Education Supplement, 19 January 2007
As Paul Wilkinson's book, Terror v Democracy illustrates, what analysts do best today is to describe what, when and where events happen. What they are weakest at is explaining why.
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The government is for turning
spiked, 8 January 2007
As U-turn follows U-turn, New Labour is looking more and more like a party devoid of direction.
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In Conversation with Robyn Williams
ABC Radio National, Australia, 28 September 2006
Are London bombers more likely to be hardened, trained members of terrorist squads or misguided young men on eccentric missions?
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An mp3 version of this interview is available here.

We are the enemies within
Times Higher Education Supplement, 22 September 2006
It is not a clash of civilisations but our own cultural self-loathing and pessimistic outlook that motivates young terrorists, many of them born in the West.
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What can the science and technology community contribute?
in Science and Technology Policies for the Anti-Terrorism Era, edited by A. James,The role of science and technology in combating the global war on terror.
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What can the science and technology community contribute?
in Science and Technology Policies for the Anti-Terrorism Era, James, A. ed. IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2006
This article explores the role attributed to science and technology in combating the global war on terror in an age when social bonds have been eroded and our sense of the need for social solutions diminished accordingly. One consequence of this is the exaggeration of risks presented by science and by terrorists to the point of ignoring the more mundane and probable threats that confront us.This article explores the role attributed to science and technology in combating the global war on terror in an age when social bonds have been eroded and our sense of the need for social solutions diminished accordingly. One consequence of this is the exaggeration of risks presented by science and by terrorists to the point of ignoring the more mundane and probable threats that confront us.
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Repeating the anti-terror soap opera
spiked, 7 June 2006
How did the police get a terror raid so wrong (again)?
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The ‘war on terror’ as displacement activity
spiked, 9 March 2006
The author of Imperial Hubris recognises the rot in Western society, but seems to think it can be resolved by taking out some Johnny Foreigners.
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Public Panic and Morale
Journal of Risk Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 57–73, January 2006
(with Edgar Jones, Robin Woolven and Simon Wessely)
Second World War civilian responses reexamined in the light of the current anti-terrorist campaign.
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Cultural Precursors and Psychological Consequences of Contemporary Western Responses to Acts of Terr
Praeger Press, Westport, 2006, pp.307-326
in The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts, Fitzduff, M. and Stout C.E. eds.
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Contending cultures of counterterrorism
International Affairs, Vol.82 No.1 , January 2006, pp.195-196
No European power opposed the principle of intervening in Iraq, they simply offered different tactics.
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Terrorism: a threat to humanity
Mission Catalyst,The end of principled political debate makes nihilistic terror a product of our times.
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Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror
Journal of Strategic Studies, Vol.28, No.5, October 2005, p.897-900
This book serves as a useful critique of any who may assume Al Qaeda to be a bunch of disorganised hicks, living in caves.
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Foreword
CTPA, London, October 2005, p.3
in Risk in Perspective: In Defence of Common Sense

Inclusion versus experimentation
Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, Vol. 8, No. 3, 359–362, September 2005
For the advocates of public dialogue, process is far more important than content. Quantity is prioritised over quality.
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Terror in the first person
Times Higher Education Supplement, 5 August 2005
Review of Talking to Terrorists by Robin Soans
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Terrorism and community resilience
Chatham House briefing paper, ISP/NSC Briefing Paper 05/01, July 2005, pp.4-5
The role of social bonds and political purpose in dealing with adversity.
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Terrorism and Community Resilience - A UK Perspective
Chatham House Briefing Paper, ISP/NSC Briefing Paper 05/01, July 2005, pp.4-5
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Suicide Bombers v Sexual Abusers: A Battle of Depravity or Western Fixations?
28 June 2005
conference paper, University of Wolverhampton

The Domestic Management of Terrorist Attacks
May 2005
Final Project Report, Economic and Social Research Council

Al-Qaeda: a conspiracy of dunces?
spiked, 14 April 2005
The real story of the 'ricin plot' is that Britain's would-be terrorists are a bunch of losers.
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REACH is not about safety
Science and Public Affairs, March 2005
On September 24, the EU council of ministers permanently banned a family of organic chemicals, called phthalates, from use in toys and childcare items. This ‘political agreement’ brought to an end five years of debate about their toxicity. During that time, the European Commission maintained a series of temporary, emergency bans, despite existing and new evidence that consistently and increasingly opposed the official view.
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Toxic policies
The Parliament Magazine, No.193, 29 November 2004, pp.39-40
On September 24, the EU council of ministers permanently banned a family of organic chemicals, called phthalates, from use in toys and childcare items. This ‘political agreement’ brought to an end five years of debate about their toxicity. During that time, the European Commission maintained a series of temporary, emergency bans, despite existing and new evidence that consistently and increasingly opposed the official view.
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A question of fear, not chemistry
spiked, 16 November 2004
'Many of the concerns about chemicals can best be described as conclusions in search of data.'
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The Power of Nightmares
BBC, 3 November 2004
Transcript of Episode 3: 'The Shadow in the Cave'
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Civilian morale during the Second World War: responses to air-raids re-examined
Social History of Medicine, Vol.17, No.3, December 2004, pp.463-479
with Edgar Jones, Robin Woolven and Simon Wessely
Civilians proved more resilient than planners had predicted, largely because they had underestimated their adaptability and resourcefulness.
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Animal rights terrorism and the demise of political debate
World Defence Systems, Vol.7, No.2, Autumn 2004, pp.202-203
Those confronting animal-rights activists lack the resolve to win the debate.
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Hunters in the House
spiked, 24 September 2004
There's little point securing institutions from the outside, if they have failed to win the loyalty of those on the inside.
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Cultural influences on resilience and security
Homeland and Security Monitor, Vol.3, No.7, September 2004, pp.4-6
In addressing the issue of terrorism, it is as important to understand what our responses teach us about ourselves — both as individuals and as a society — as it is to deal with the terrorists or tackle what we perceive to be the root causes of terrorism.
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Home Affairs Committee inquiry into terrorism and community relations
September 2004
This submission seeks to inform policy-makers and emergency-planners of the significant lessons to be learnt from the growing body of literature examining human behaviour in a disaster. These point to the paramount need for professionals to incorporate community responses to particular crises within their actions, rather than seeking to supplant them as ill-informed or less productive.
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Cellular Phones, Public Fears, and A Culture of Precaution
Risk Analysis, 9 August 2004
Rather than taking people’s perceptions at face value, Burgess seeks to explain how these perceptions came to be constructed in the first place, thereby, challenging these and critiquing precaution.
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Don’t send in the tanks
Times Higher Education Supplement, 30 July 2004
Using the Army to deter animal activists will not win over public opinion.
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They warn too much
spiked, 30 July 2004
Why the UK government's booklet on ‘preparing for emergencies' backfired.
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Panic in the streets
New Humanist, May 2004
What makes us all so anxious?
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Facing the possibility of bioterrorism
Current Opinions in Biotechnology, 2004, 15:264-268
Bioterrorism provides a powerful metaphor for élite fears of social corrosion from within. Accordingly, a broader historical and cultural perspective is required to understand why individuals and societies feel so vulnerable to what remain largely speculative scenarios.
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The Social Basis for Fears about Science
19 April 2004
Conference Paper, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
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Political tunnel vision is today’s real terror
Times Higher Education Supplement, 26 March 2004
In retreating from the world and politics, we all become more vulnerable - as the people and politicians of Spain have learnt.
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Political tunnel vision is today’s real terror
THES, 24 March 2004
In retreating from the world and politics, we all become more vulnerable - as the people and politicians of Spain have learnt.
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Sociological Aspects Of Risk And Resilience In Response To Acts Of Terrorism
World Defence Systems, Vol.7, No.1, Spring 2004, pp.214-216
Our response to terrorist incidents as a society teaches us far more about ourselves than it does about the terrorists.
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The Precautionary Principle: Is it Killing Innovation?
in An Apology for Capitalism?, Kumaria, S. ed, Profile Books,The precautionary principle is, above all else, an invitation to those without evidence, expertise or authority, to shape and influence political debates. It achieves that by introducing supposedly ethical or environmental elements into the process of scientific, corporate and governmental decision-making.
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The Timid Corporation – Why Business is Terrified of Taking Risk
Risk Analysis, Vol.24, No.1, February 2004, pp.301-304
Hunt examines why business has become re-presented and increasingly accepts an image of itself as reckless, abusive, and destructive. Despite lack of evidence as to widespread misdemeanors, every corporate scandal today, from Enron to Worldcom, becomes reinterpreted as a morality tale that points back to an already assumed need to constrain the corporation.
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Britain’s bunker mentality
spiked, 22 January 2004
What kind of message does the UK's fortification of its overseas missions send to the world - and to terrorists?
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Review: The Globalization of Terrorism
The Global Review of Ethnopolitics, Vol.3, No.2, January 2004, pp.108-109
The year 2001 was a huge one for terrorism. This little book missed it. Published six months before the momentous events of September one might feel inclined to forgive the author, series editor and publishers for failing to anticipate the broadly unimaginable. But the book’s bigger failing is to have missed the 1990s.
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Communicating the War on Terror: conference summary
January 2004
(with Brendan O'Neill)
What should governments tell the public about terror threats? How should governments and other official bodies strike a balance between warning us and worrying us? And what is the role of the media in the war on terror -- how should we define the responsibilities of increasingly influential reporters in a time of conflict?
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Social bonds can withstand most bombs
Times Higher Education Supplement, 19 December 2003
Terrorism aimed at a divided society will never be countered by technical efforts alone - real resilience can come only from common purpose.
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An arresting sight
spiked, 4 December 2003
Why does it take 26 armed police units to detain one terrorist suspect?
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From the rules of engagement to passionless marriages
Times Higher Education Supplement, 28 November 2003
Review of Conflict: From Analysis to Intervention, edited by Sandra Cheldelin, Daniel Druckman and Larissa Fast
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Phone alarm
spiked, 27 November 2003
A new book examines how the culture of precaution shaped public fears over mobile phones.
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Limitations of Public Dialogue in Science and the Rise of New ‘Experts’
Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, Vol. 6, No. 4, Winter 2003
We should move away from our growing obsession with the impact of science upon society and begin to examine a bit more critically the impact of society upon science - especially in a society that has lost its sense of ambition.
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The fear and self-loathing in Las Vegas
Times Higher Education Supplement, 17 October 2003
Now even the Americans are anti-American.
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Lay Values?
Tech Central Station, 24 September 2003

Is real resilience attainable?
Homeland Security & Resilience Monitor, Vol.2, No.6, September 2003, pp.15-19
The concept of resilience — the ability to withstand or recover from adverse conditions — has come of age in the wake of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. Politicians, emergency planners and others talk of the need to “build”, “engender”, “improve” or “enhance” resilience in society. What is being proposed and to what extent is real resilience attainable in today's conditions?
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Response to Riskworld 2020
Journal of Risk Research, 6 (4–6), 597–616 (July 2003)
Riskworld 2020 uncritically repeats many of the assumptions, aphorisms, platitudes and prejudices that currently inform the risk discourse. The single key question here should have been: ‘Do people’s perceptions of risk, match the reality of the dangers they face?’ Yet it has not clearly been asked.
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Letter to the Editor Regarding Chemical White Paper Special Issue
Risk Analysis, Vol.23, No.3, June 2003, pp.427-428
Sadly, some scientists also have all too readily absorbed the modern dictate for “inclusivity” and “dialogue” in the vain hope of somehow relegitimizing their activities.
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Houses of Precaution
spiked, 23 May 2003
Will the concrete blocks installed to protect Parliament from terror make the UK feel secure, or scared?
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How Long Can an Emergency Last For?
TechCentral Station, 23 May 2003

Communicating the War on Terror
spiked, 22 May 2003
An open public debate is key to striking the right note in the war on terror.
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Review of Terrorism-Related Work
Private commission for Oxford Analytica, May 2003

Are we getting the balance right?
Terrorism Research, April 2003

A diabolical deal that still endangers democracy
Times Higher Education Supplement, 28 March 2003
Review of The Final Frontier: America, Science, and Terror, by Dominick Jenkins
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Why has Europe become so risk-averse?
in Breaking Down the Barriers, Disney, H. ed., Civitas, 2003, pp.39-46
Two key areas of concern: the new European proposals for chemicals regulations and the broader context for this - societies' particular proclivity to become obsessed with risk nowadays.
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Men without a mission make poor soldiers
Times Higher Education Supplement, 21 February 2003
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What is Risk Analysis?
January 2003
Private Commission for European Food Information Council, Brussels

Book review: The Precautionary Principle in the Late 20th Century: Late Lessons from Early Warnings
Risk Analysis, Vol.22, No.6, December 2002, pp.1208-1209
This report contains useful empirical evidence, but also reflects many of the confusions and equivocations now common among political, corporate and even scientific institutions.
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Resilience or panic? The public and terrorist attack
The Lancet, Vol.360, No.9349, 6 December 2002, pp.1901-1902
How can governments prepare the public before an attack without reducing resilience; and second, what should be done to prevent panic in the aftermath?
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Perception and threat
Homeland Security & Resilience Monitor, Vol.1, No.4, November 2002, pp.16-18
One of the biggest dangers of 11 September is overreaction. We need to develop responses based upon our values rather than focusing upon our vulnerabilities.
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Society Loses when the Polluter is made to Pay
Audacity, September 2002
The proposal by the Environment Directorate of the European Commission to frame a Directive on the Prevention and Restoration of Significant Environmental Damage is published. While the Directive might sound like clarification, it will serve to confuse accountability by insisting that someone must always be to blame.
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Trust comes from Expertise
in Science: Can We Trust the Experts?, Gilland, T. ed. Hodder & Stoughton, 2002, pp.17-38

The precautionary principle is causing a scare
Risk of Freedom Briefing, July 2002
It's time to apply the precautionary principle to itself.
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Why I… think a dialogue with the public will undermine science
Times Higher Education Supplement, 12 April 2002
Do our scientists really need to display a greater degree of humility and place more emphasis on the uncertainty of their experiments to regain our trust?
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