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.

Tim Wilson

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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