The Northern Ireland peace process has been heralded by those who participated in it as a successful example of transformation from a violent conflict to a peaceful society. However, the Good Friday Agreement ('the Agreement') negotiated by the British and Irish governments and the Northern Irish political parties did not in fact represent the end of the peace process; instead it offered a template through which Northern Ireland could reach a sustained peace. That template presented a programme for the return to normality of Northern Ireland. This book explores whether Northern Ireland is still an outlier from the rest of the UK, or whether the Agreement's plan for Northern Ireland has been fully realised. The book examines the implementation of the Northern Ireland peace process as a whole. However, its main focus is on the impact of new types of terrorism, and government responses to that new terrorism, on the process of normalising Northern Ireland. The internal and external factors that have impeded Northern Ireland's transformation from an exceptional part of the UK to one that is consistent with the political and societal features of the other regions are analysed.It also considers the normalisation of 'post-conflict' Northern Ireland in the context of the expansion of anti-terrorism legislation for international terrorism in the whole of the UK. In doing so the book highlights the continuing use of exceptional anti-terrorism laws in Northern Ireland outside of the emergency for which they were originally intended, as well as revealing the extent to which Northern Ireland's past anti-terrorism laws have been re-enacted as permanent, non-emergency legislation for the whole of the UK. The book thus demonstrates the difficulties that transitional or post-conflict states face in attempting to wind back extraordinary counter-terrorism policies after periods of violence have been brought to an end.

The Northern Ireland peace process has been heralded by those involved as a successful example of transformation from a violent conflict to a peaceful society. This book examines the implementation of the Belfast Agreement in Northern Ireland, and evaluates whether its goal to establish a normal, peaceful society has been fully realised. Using the political and legal status of England, Scotland and Wales as a comparison, Jessie Blackbourn evaluates eight aspects of Northern Ireland which the Agreement aimed to normalise: the contested constitutional status of Northern Ireland, the devolution of power, decommissioning, the removal of emergency laws, demilitarisation, police reform, criminal justice reform, and paramilitary prisoners. The book highlights the historical context which gave rise to the need for a programme of normalisation within the Belfast Agreement with respect to these areas and assesses the extent to which that programme of normalisation has been successfully implemented. By evaluating the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, the book demonstrates the difficulties that transitional or post-conflict states face in attempting to wind back extraordinary counter-terrorism policies after periods of violence have been brought to an end. The book will be of great use to students and researchers concerned with the emergence, evolution and repeal of anti-terrorism laws, and anyone interested in the history of the conflict and peace process in Northern Ireland.

This book focuses on state terrorism, Western counterinsurgency, propaganda and misinformation. It showcases leading examples of critical terrorism studies and presents an agenda for the expansion of an evidence-based approach to political violence and terrorism.

Counter-terrorism is now a permanent and sprawling part of the legislative and operational apparatus of the state, yet little is known about the law and practice of how it is reviewed, how effective the review mechanisms are, what impact they have or how they interact with one another. This book addresses that gap in knowledge by presenting the first comprehensive, critical analysis of counter-terrorism review in the United Kingdom, informed by exclusive interviews with policy makers, politicians, practitioners and civil society.

Jessie Blackbourn is a research fellow at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford, UK. Deniz Kayis is currently the Associate for Chief Justice Allsop AO of the Federal Court of Australia. Nicola McGarrity is a senior lecturer and the Director of the Terrorism Law Reform Project at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Jessie Blackbourn is a research fellow at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford, UK. Deniz Kayis is currently the Associate for Chief Justice Allsop AO of the Federal Court of Australia. Nicola McGarrity is a senior lecturer and the Director of the Terrorism Law Reform Project at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Academic studies of 'terrorism' grew exponentially in number after the September 11 attacks. The problem was that much of this work of 'orthodox' terrorism studies was biased, often shoddily researched and was too closely identified with the power centres of Western states. Its denizens were often former and sometimes current officials or officers in the military, intelligence services or the security industry or were funded by them. In response the project of Critical Terrorism Studies was intended to give a more rounded account of political violence in the world. It focuses on neglected issues like state terrorism, Western counterinsurgency, propaganda and misinformation. More than a decade since the founding of the critical project, this book asks what has been learned. It showcases leading examples of critical terrorism studies and presents an agenda for the expansion of an evidence-based approach to political violence and terrorism. With chapters by leading authorities such as Joseba Zulaika, Michael Stohl, Mary Hickman and Richard Jackson, the book evaluates how far the critical project has come and where it is going next. This book was published as a special issue of Critical Studies on Terrorism.

Counter-terrorism is now a permanent and sprawling part of the legislative and operational apparatus of the state, yet little is known about the law and practice of how it is reviewed, how effective the review mechanisms are, what impact they have or how they interact with one another. This book addresses that gap in knowledge by presenting the first comprehensive, critical analysis of counter-terrorism review in the United Kingdom, informed by exclusive interviews with policy makers, politicians, practitioners and civil society.