Where is Palestine in Critical Terrorism Studies? A roundtable conversation

Abstract

Our ethical responsibilities as researchers within or related to the study of “terrorism” could not be clearer than in moments when the “terrorism” label is used to justify mass killing and destruction. The state of Israel has relentlessly continued to bombard Gaza since 7 October 2023 and, with the support of Western nations, built consensus around framing all Palestinians as (potential) terrorists. In light of the horrors that the world is witnessing today, and the lack of engagement with Palestine in Critical Terrorism Studies research, we ask, how does–and should - Palestine feature in Critical Terrorism Studies scholarship? How can we, as researchers and educators, facilitate deeper conversations that challenge hegemonic and racist framings of “terrorism”? This roundtable discussion brings critical, anti-colonial, anti-racist, feminist, and queer scholars together to discuss 1) the exclusion of Palestine from the critical study of “terrorism” and 2) the significance of the Palestinian struggle for liberation for all researchers invested in the critical study of “terrorism”. We call for more serious engagement with Palestine and acknowledge that such a call is inseparable from a commitment to anti-colonial scholarship and activism.1.