Teaching terrorism and practitioners: context, capabilities, and connectivity in counter-terrorism knowledge and networks

Abstract

ABSTRACT As a rising field of knowledge, terrorism studies is increasingly taught but rarely examined. This study proposes a three-fold framework to articulate the value and utility of terrorism studies to national security and counter-terrorism practitioners. This extends beyond the typically unidimensional considerations of teaching and research to support the development of lateral industry networks and engagements which bridge academia and communities of practice. The framework is centred on the three C’s (3C): context, capabilities, and connectivity. Context ensures the delivery of a threat-centric body of knowledge, designed to introduce core conceptual frameworks, debates, approaches, and understanding of terrorism organisations, strategies, ideologies and threats. Capabilities refers to the skills and attributes that are fostered in terrorism studies students, such as the identification of substantiated intelligence, the analysis and exploitation of primary sources, and the production of policy and intelligence briefs and threat assessments. Connectivity specifies the multidimensional role the Terrorism and Security Studies degree plays in bridging the divide between academia and national security practitioners, and enabling the interconnectivity between diverse national security practitioners and stakeholders domestically and internationally.