Counter-Terrorism, Aid and Civil Society: Before and After the War on Terror

Counter-Terrorism, Aid and Civil Society critically examines the effects of the War on Terror on the relationships between civil society, security and aid, drawing on original fieldwork in Afghanistan, India and Kenya. Although governments are avoiding use of the term 'War on Terror', post-9/11 counter-terrorism responses have been widely legislated, institutionalized and bureaucratized. Hence, the impacts of the War on Terror will be long-lasting. Specifically, the book proposes that the War on Terror has reshaped the field of international development, which has become increasingly oriented to address issues of national and international security. This has had clear implications for how government and aid agencies engage with civil societies at home and abroad. However, in many contexts, mainstream groups supported by governments have failed to respond vigorously to counter-terrorism responses, leaving human rights and Muslim groups that have borne the brunt of scrutiny to challenge the premise and need for new security practices, measures and laws.