This episode of The IR thinker explores contemporary terrorism and its study with Dr Tim Wilson, Director of the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews. The conversation examines the evolution of terrorist tactics since 9/11, the role of finance and recruitment, the challenges facing intelligence agencies and the media, as well as innovative research methods, non-Western perspectives and the implications of the Israel–Hamas conflict for terrorism research.
Dr Tim Wilson is a historian of political violence and Director of the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews. He has written widely on terrorism by both states and their opponents, including the book Killing Strangers: How Political Violence Became Modern published by Oxford University Press in 2020. He is also co editor, with Diego Muro, of Contemporary Terrorism Studies published by Oxford University Press in 2022, a leading textbook in the field.
Content
00:00 - Introduction
01:38 - Evolution of Terrorism Tactics since 9/11
05:54 - Accessibility of Terrorism Tools
09:01 - Understanding the Financial Mechanisms in Terrorism
12:26 - The Critical Role of Money in Facilitating Terrorism
13:39 - Tactics and Trends in Terrorist Recruitment
18:07 - Intelligence Agencies’ Response to Terrorism
24:23 - Media’s Overuse of the Term ‘Terrorism’
27:18 - Innovative Research Methods in Terrorism Studies
34:28 - Exploring Non-Western Perspectives in Terrorism Research
37:06 - Bridging Academia and Industry in Terrorism Research
40:43 - Spotlight on Handa Centre’s Terrorism Research Initiatives
47:28 - Crafting a Stellar Dissertation in Terrorism Studies
51:35 - Common Misconceptions Among Terrorism Studies Students
56:03 - The Impact of Israel-Hamas Conflict on Terrorism Research
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