Counter-terrorism, Radicalisation and the University: Panel Discussion

Description

The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on universities to have 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. This public seminar will consider what this means for academic staff and students. The new duty - part of the PREVENT component of the UK government's CONTEST counter-terrorism strategy - has raised fears about the creeping ’securitisation’ of higher education and the creation of a culture of self-censorship and mistrust. It may have particular implications in sensitive areas such as the study of counter-terrorism itself, or in the critical discussion of concepts such as ‘democracy’ and ‘liberty’. However, the meaning of the new duty is far from clear or settled, and most universities are still developing their policies and staff guidance. This seminar will discuss the implications of the PREVENT duty and its wider legal, political, historical and social context.

Period	15 Jan 2016
Held at	Centre for Security Research, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom