Studies in Conflict & Terrorism

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
Title	Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
Discipline	International relations; Security studies; Counterterrorism
Abbreviation	Stud. Confl. Terror.
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
Country	United Kingdom
Frequency	Monthly
History	1977–present
Issn	1057-610X

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism is a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on insurgency, terrorist violence, insurgent organizations, and counterterrorism policy. The journal publishes empirical research, case studies, policy analysis, and theoretical work addressing actors such as Al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Irish Republican Army, Shining Path, and FARC. It regularly features scholarship on regions including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Colombia, and Northern Ireland and on institutions such as Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, MI5, and NATO.

Overview

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism presents interdisciplinary research crossing boundaries among scholars who study Cold War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Arab Spring, and Russian invasion of Ukraine. Articles engage with case material involving organizations like Hezbollah, Boko Haram, Taliban, Al-Shabaab, and Kurdistan Workers' Party as well as counterinsurgency operations by states such as United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. The journal situates contemporary events alongside landmark incidents including the September 11 attacks, Lockerbie bombing, Lockerbie trial, and Mumbai attacks to inform debates on policy responses by bodies like the United Nations and European Union.

History and Development

Founded in 1977 amid scholarly responses to episodes like the Basque conflict, the journal chronicled postwar phenomena from the Mau Mau uprising through the Iran hostage crisis to the rise of transnational networks such as Red Army Faction and Italian Years of Lead. During the 1990s it expanded coverage to include post-Cold War conflicts including Bosnian War and Kosovo War, and in the 2000s it pivoted to intensive study of responses after September 11 attacks involving actors such as George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and institutions like Department of Defense. The journal's trajectory reflects shifting priorities shaped by events like the Iraq War (2003–2011), Arab Spring, and recent crises linked to ISIS and the Syrian civil war.

Scope and Themes

The journal addresses topics ranging from organizational dynamics of groups such as Al-Shabaab and Greece's November 17 (November 17 (group)) to state-sponsored actions exemplified by Operation Gladio and Soviet–Afghan War. Themes include radicalization pathways studied against contexts like Palestinian Liberation Organization activity, prisoner dynamics after incidents such as the Attica Prison riot, and criminological intersections illustrated by cases like the IRA Belfast bombings and the Oklahoma City bombing. Articles explore legal dimensions referencing instruments such as the Geneva Conventions, the Patriot Act (United States), and debates in tribunals like the International Criminal Court.

Methodologies and Theoretical Approaches

Methodological diversity spans quantitative work using datasets on attacks linked to projects similar to Global Terrorism Database and qualitative studies drawing on interviews with members of groups such as former FARC combatants, defectors from Army of Islamic Jihad (Egypt), and archives from institutions like Rand Corporation. Theoretical lenses include applied frameworks from scholars influenced by Kenneth Waltz, Samuel P. Huntington, Martha Crenshaw, John Mearsheimer, and Benedict Anderson. Comparative case studies juxtapose episodes such as the Algerian Civil War and Chechen Wars, while network analysis examines ties among cells resembling studies of Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Nusra Front.

Notable Articles and Contributions

Notable contributions have included empirical investigations of the effects of military campaigns in Helmand Province and critiques of strategies used in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Seminal articles have influenced policy debates on deradicalization programs implemented in Saudi Arabia, Norway, and Denmark, and on surveillance reforms following revelations involving Edward Snowden and analyses of intelligence failures tied to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The journal has published influential case reconstructions of the Beslan school siege and operational studies of insurgent logistics in contexts like Maoist insurgency in India.

Editorial Board and Publication Details

Published by Taylor & Francis, the journal issues monthly volumes overseen by an editorial team drawn from scholars at institutions such as King's College London, Georgetown University, American University, University of Oxford, and Queensland University of Technology. Editorial board members often include experts formerly affiliated with Center for Strategic and International Studies, Brookings Institution, Chatham House, Edward R. Murrow Center, and national research institutes like RAND Corporation and Institute for Security Studies (South Africa). Submission guidelines emphasize peer review, ethical clearance for human subjects research, and adherence to citation standards used by comparable outlets like Journal of Conflict Resolution and International Security.

Reception and Impact

The journal is cited in policy reports by agencies such as United Nations Security Council panels, legislative hearings in bodies like the United States Senate, and strategic analyses used by European External Action Service. Academically, its impact is reflected in citations across works addressing conflicts from the Yugoslav Wars to ongoing debates about hybrid warfare in the context of Crimea crisis. Critics from civil liberties circles referencing organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have debated some policy prescriptions published within, while courts and commissions—including inquiries like the Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot Inquiry)—have drawn on empirical findings from the journal.

Category:Security studies journals