Contesting counter-terrorism

Collaborators

• Chiara Libiseller, PhD Candidate at The Department of War Studies at King’s College London.
• Bernhard Oskar Schneider, MA Candidate at the University of Innsbruck.

Abstract

Why do political actors prefer one counter-terrorism policy over another? We apply discourse network analysis and the advocacy coalition framework to the recent debate on counter-terrorism measures in Austria and argue that actors’ positions are based not so much on objective security factors and international or structural causes but on domestic politics and three interdependent variables. Political actors choose specific counter-terrorism policies because of: (1) a sense of ownership; (2) ideology; and (3) anticipated political gains. We show how different actors in Austria exploit the counter-terrorism debate to shield themselves from being blamed for being passive, to promote their ideological views, and/or to gain politically.

Funding

Funded by the Tyrolean Science Foundation.

• Grant number: UNI-0404/1784
• EUR 10,050.00

Publications

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41268-020-00187-8

Contesting counter-terrorism: discourse networks and the politicisation of counter-terrorism in Austria - Journal of International Relations and Development

Why do political actors prefer one counter-terrorism policy over another? We apply discourse network analysis and the advocacy coalition framework to the recent debate on counter-terrorism measures in Austria and argue that actors’ positions are based not so much on objective security factors and international or structural causes but on domestic politics and three interdependent variables. Political actors choose specific counter-terrorism policies because of: (1) a sense of ownership; (2) ideology; and (3) anticipated political gains. We show how different actors in Austria exploit the counter-terrorism debate to shield themselves from being blamed for being passive, to promote their ideological views, and/or to gain politically.

link.springer.com

Third Mission

https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000122576174/was-oesterreich-bei-der-terror-aufarbeitung-lernen-kann

Was Österreich bei der Terroraufarbeitung lernen kann

Der 11. September und das Attentat von Christchurch zeigen: Die Aufarbeitung des Terrors dauert und ist herausfordernd. Ob das in Österreich gelingen wird?

www.derstandard.at