Dr Nick Brooke
Associate Lecturer
Nick Brooke is an Associate Lecturer in Terrorism and Political Violence at the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, a position he has held since January 2016. He holds an MA in Politics from the University of Edinburgh, an MLitt in Terrorism Studies from the University of St Andrews and a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews.
Nick’s current research examines the implementation of counter-radicalisation strategies in remote and rural spaces. He is the lead investigator on a Royal Society of Edinburgh funded project on PREVENT in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. His previous research, and first academic monograph Terrorism and Nationalism in the United Kingdom: The Absence of Noise, examines the relationship between nationalism and political violence in the United Kingdom, considering why political violence was a greater feature of the nationalist movements in some parts of the British Isles than others. This book makes important contributions to the study of the causes of terrorism and the uneven pattern of violent outcomes for nationalist movements. Further to this, Nick works on nationalism, non-violent protest and identity and the interplay between these phenomena, as well as Scottish and British politics and representations of political violence in popular culture.
Dr Brooke serves as Academic Co-ordinator for the Certificate in Terrorism Studies, and the Programme Director for the Distance Learning MLitt Terrorism and Political Violence, and teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
In April 2019 he received the Student Association’s 2018/2019 Teaching Excellence Award for Academic Mentorship.
Office: Room 1.35, New Arts Building
Office Hours: Thursday 11am-1pm (or by appointment)
E: [email protected]
T: (0)1334 461921
Books
Terrorism and Nationalism in the United Kingdom: The Absence of Noise. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2018.
Journal Articles
“Fundamental British Values & the Prevent Duty in Scotland” in Critical Studies on Terrorism, 2023
(with Colin Atkinson and Donna Yates) “Researching a Risky Business? The Use of Freedom of Information to Explore Counterterrorism Security at Museums in the United Kingdom”, in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 45:1, 2022.
(with Colin Atkinson and Donna Yates) “‘Now that you mention it, museums probably are a target’: museums, terrorism and security in the United Kingdom”, in Museum Management and Curatorship 35:2, 2020.
Official Reports
(with Fiona Hutchison, James Lewis, Lucia Mackenzie, Mhairi McFarlane) “Understanding extremism in Scotland: public perceptions and experiences” Scottish Government, 2023
Edited Chapters
“When does terrorism emerge? Root Causes” in Contemporary Terrorism Studies, Edited by Diego Muro and Tim Wilson, Oxford University Press, 2022
‘Terrorism and Nationalism’ in the Research Handbook on Nationalism, Edited by Liah Greenfeld, Edward Elgar, 2020
“Terrorismo Y Nacionalismo Después de 1968” in Después del 68: La deriva terrorist en Occidente, Edited by Juan Avilés, José Manuel Azcona y Matteo Re (eds.), 2019
Review Articles
Identity, History, and Political Violence, Political Psychology, 39:2, 2018, 495-500
Book Reviews
IR3045: Violence in Deeply Divided Societies
Bloodshed is what tends to keep divided societies in the headlines: yet the nature of this violence often remains under-examined as a political force in its own right. This module seeks to explain what drives processes of violence in deeply divided societies with particular emphasis on what happens at the grassroots and between communities. The module combines theory with in-depth consideration of case studies from across the world to understand what causes conflict, how conflict is resolved and whether deep societal divisions can be healed.
IR4581: Debates in Terrorism and Political Violence (Module Coordinator)
Terrorism is a topic that has fascinated scholars and the public for decades, and has led to fierce debates on some of the most important aspects including labelling: are these ‘terrorists’ or ‘freedom fighters’, and does this matter? Is military force an appropriate response to terrorism? What role should private companies play in preventing the spread of extremism? Should states negotiate with terrorists? These are debates that have spread from policy and academic spheres to the public and have had an immense impact on national and international politics. Through student-led debates, this module will critically examine dominant narratives put forward to these topics, drawing on theories of ‘radicalisation’ and examining concepts of ‘root causes’ of terrorism. Drawing from various methodological and theoretical perspectives applied to the studies of terrorism and violence, this format encourages students to assess various sides of some of the most contentious issues in this field.
Contributor
IR2006: Issues in International Relations
IR5954: Terrorism Studies Electives
Contemporary Voices in International Relations, Reviews Editor
School of International Relations Global Challenges competition, Academic Mentor
Teaching
2018/2019: University of St Andrews Student Association: Teaching Award for Academic Mentorship
Funding Awards
2020: Royal Society of Edinburgh Small Research Grant: PREVENT in the Scottish Highlands and Islands