KNYGA Sandra Rollings-Magnusson Anti-Terrorism

This edited collection critically analyzes the concept of “terrorism,” the Canadian and American government responses to terrorist activity since the events of 9/11 and the problem of government policies infringing on basic human rights and freedoms. The authors direct their attention to various topics including the relationship between the capitalist economic system and the war on terror, the legality and efficacy of of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the USA PATRIOT Act, and the insecurities created by the new security regime. The intensification of public surveillance is shown to undermine democratic values and accentuate state coercion, and tightened border controls are revealed to be thinly veiled discrimination against particular racial, ethnic and religious groups. The conclusion of this book highlights the need for an informed public debate about security and for society to question and re-examine the need for enhanced security measures, particularly when such processes counter democratic values. Suggestions for both long-term and short-term policy changes are put forward.