To cite this output:

Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK

ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

END OF AWARD REPORT

For awards ending on or after 1 November 2009

This End of Award Report should be completed and submitted using the grant reference as the
email subject, to reportsofficer@esrc.ac.uk on or before the due date.

The final instalment of the grant will not be paid until an End of Award Report is completed in
full and accepted by ESRC.
Grant holders whose End of Award Report is overdue or incomplete will not be eligible for
further ESRC funding until the Report is accepted. ESRC reserves the right to recover a sum of
the expenditure incurred on the grant if the End of Award Report is overdue. (Please see Section
5 of the ESRC Research Funding Guide for details.)

Please refer to the Guidance notes when completing this End of Award Report.

Grant Reference RES-000-22-3765

Grant Title Anti-terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
Grant Start Date 1 September 2009 Total Amount 85,626.75
Grant End Date 31 January 2011 Expended:
Grant holding Institution Oxford Brookes University
Grant Holder Dr. Michael Lister
Grant Holders Contact Address Email
Details Department of International mlister@brookes.ac.uk
Relations, Politics and Telephone
Sociology, Oxford Brookes 01865 483 924
University, Gipsy Lane
Campus, Headington,
Oxford, OX3 0BP
Co-Investigators (as per project application): Institution
Dr. Lee Jarvis Swansea University

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To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY
Please provide below a project summary written in non-technical language. The summary may be used by
ESRC to publicise your work and should explain the aims and findings of the project. [Max 250 words]

The experience of recent terrorist attacks has led to increased interest in how governments
respond to unconventional violences. To date, however, very little research has been conducted
on how ordinary people think about counter-terrorism policy broadly, and, more specifically,
how counter-terrorist measures impact on public perceptions and experiences of security.

Our project addresses these lacunae through the use of community-based focus groups across
the United Kingdom. In so doing, it aims to shed light on three important questions:

1. To what extent do significant differences exist in attitudes to anti-terrorism measures

based on an individual's geography or ethnicity?
2. What implications do these attitudes and differences therein pose for citizenship
within the UK?
3. How specifically do ordinary people understand the term security in the context of
terrorism and counter-terrorism, and, indeed, beyond?

Our initial findings suggest that whilst differences between ethnic groups in terms of attitudes to
anti-terrorism policies (support for them or otherwise) are slight, there are pronounced
differences in the impact of such measures (perceived and experienced) upon distinct citizens
and communities. Such differences point to genuine concerns surrounding the universality of
citizenship within the UK, and the rights, responsibilities and opportunities for political
participation associated with this status. Moreover, our research also suggests that security is
understood in a broad and varied fashion across the UK, and we offer a conceptual typography
of five discrete security imaginaries articulated to us by members of the public. These link
security to survival, contentment, hospitality, equality and freedom respectively.

2. PROJECT OVERVIEW
a) Objectives
Please state the aims and objectives of your project as outlined in your proposal to the ESRC. [Max 200
words]

Our project was situated within the increasing academic, political and public interest in
governmental responses to terrorist violence. Specifically, the project aimed to investigate the
ways in which contemporary anti-terrorism measures impact on perceptions and experiences of
security and citizenship within the United Kingdom. Through the use of a focus group
methodology (see below), our aim was to provide a qualitatively rich understanding of the
following primary questions:

1. To what extent do significant differences in attitudes to anti-terrorism measures based

on an individual's geography or ethnicity exist?
2. What implications do these attitudes - and differences therein - pose for citizenship

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To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

within the UK?

3. How specifically do ordinary people understand the term security in this particular
context, and, indeed, also beyond?

The projects aim was to contribute to contemporary academic discussions concerning the
character of security and citizenship, and the relationship between these concepts in the context
of anti-terrorism policy. The projects impact was targeted at two primary user groups. First,
central and local government agencies responsible for anti-terrorism policy and issues
concerning citizenship and community cohesion. And, second, civil society and community-
based organisations with a stake in community relations and social inclusion.

b) Project Changes
Please describe any changes made to the original aims and objectives, and confirm that these were agreed
with the ESRC. Please also detail any changes to the grant holders institutional affiliation, project
staffing or funding. [Max 200 words]

The only change to our project concerned the extension of our finishing date from 31 August
2010 to 31 January 2011. This was approved by the ESRC in a letter dated 10 June 2010, and
enabled us to prepare for and hold our research dissemination workshop with governmental
and non-governmental stakeholders in the lifetime of the project. This dissemination event was
successfully run on 16 January 2011 (please see below for further details).

c) Methodology
Please describe the methodology that you employed in the project. Please also note any ethical issues that
arose during the course of the work, the effects of this and any action taken. [Max. 500 words]

Our project made use of a focus group methodology. Sixteen groups in total were held in the
lifespan of the project. As outlined in our original proposal to the ESRC, these included two
pilot groups through which to finalise and test the design of our research, and two wild groups
to enable us to investigate unforeseen or interesting demographics or issues arising in the
context of our research. The twelve remaining groups were organised around our two primary
variables for analysis: geographical residence (metropolitan or non-metropolitan); and ethnicity
(black, white or Asian). In order to achieve completeness for our study, we used a three-
pronged strategy for accessing our targeted groups. The first technique was through the use of
contacts with the relevant target communities as held either by the researchers themselves or by
individuals known to the researchers. The second was via civil society or community groups
established to represent particular communities. The third was via targeted advertisements in
local media outlets (online and offline).

Few ethical issues arose during the lifetime of the project that were not anticipated in the
planning and gaining of ethics approval. The only issue that did present itself concerned our
planned use of an ethnicity self-designation form. The employment of such a form had been
built into our project design in order to help us deal with the relative crudeness of ethnicity as a
variable for our analysis. However, in a number of groups questions and concerns were voiced
concerning the use of such forms in practices relating to employment and access to benefits,
independent of the introduction of our own form. In the words of one participant, discussing
discrimination within the UK as a source of insecurity, for instance:

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To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

even this form that you fill: what is your ethnicity? Are you black, white, Indian? When
you fill that form, what does it do? It profiles you, and you will not even get an interview. So
that form is being is not being used for good. Its being used for pure evil.

Our unwillingness to contribute to these frequently profound concerns in the context of our
own research lead to us abandoning the use of such a form for the remainder of our study.

d) Project Findings
Please summarise the findings of the project, referring where appropriate to outputs recorded on ESRC
Society Today. Any future research plans should also be identified. [Max 500 words]
Our initial findings may be categorised under three headings:

Attitudes to Anti-terrorism
We identified a range of discourses sceptical of anti-terrorism measures including fears of their
misuse, civil liberties concerns, views of their ineffectiveness, and concerns about their creating
a climate of fear. We also encountered more positive views, including satisfaction that
government was doing something, an understanding of the need for such measures, and a
view that sufficient safeguards to protect liberties were in place. We did not find significant or
clear differences between ethnic groups on this point. Geography, though, did seem to play a
role with London, in particular, seeming to be something of a place apart. Specifically, ethnic
minorities outside London appeared to feel singled out by anti-terrorism measures, while white
communities felt distanced from their impacts.

Citizenship
Whilst there might not have been significant differences between ethnic groups on attitudes to
anti-terrorism policy, there were much clearer distinctions in terms of their impact on a range of
aspects central to citizenship. Here, there surfaced a common concern that anti-terrorism
measures have impacted disproportionately on rights, responsibilities and the opportunities for
social/political participation amongst communities, with white individuals less targeted than
non-white individuals. This raises the possibility that anti-terrorism measures may exacerbate
issues and problems around citizenship by negatively affecting the citizenship of minority
communities.

Security
Our project also traced the major security threats, risks and sources of unease identified by
participants in our research. In so doing, we identified the appeal of a multi-sectoral approach
to security; second, a far greater variability in personal and immediate insecurities than
sociotropic concerns; and, third, a widespread public sense of connectivity between individuals,
and between security threats. Our research also highlights an important function of the
language of security not typically attributed to it by scholars. Specifically, it points to securitys
perlocutionary capacity to induce empathy or attempts at empathy towards others when it is
invoked. We have also produced a conceptual typography of five discrete security imaginaries
articulated to us by members of the public. These understandings link security to survival,
contentment, hospitality, equality and freedom respectively. We find that there is genuine
evidence of public support for thinking (in)security through contemporary conceptual lenses as
diverse as those offered by the human security, Copenhagen School and Welsh School
approaches.

4
To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

Future Research
In our dissemination workshop with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders of 16
January 2011, participants from government told us that whilst they found our research to be of
great interest and utility, they would also benefit from a quantitative application of our findings.
The obvious way for us to do this would be to derive a questionnaire which could then be
administered to a representative sample in order to model our research findings. This would
extend both our own research (by enabling us to make inferences concerning statistical
representativeness) and also the academic/policy evidence and literature in this area. We will
begin planning a quantitative project of this nature as a major step in our forthcoming work.

e) Contributions to wider ESRC initiatives (eg Research Programmes or Networks)

If your project was part of a wider ESRC initiative, please describe your contributions to the initiatives
objectives and activities and note any effect on your project resulting from participation. [Max. 200 words]

On 18 May 2010, we were invited to link our project to the RCUK Global Uncertainties
programme. We accepted this invitation, and subsequently participated in the RCUK Global
Uncertainties Programme Strategic Plan Consultation of 31 January 2011. A research poster of
our findings to date was presented at this event.

3. EARLY AND ANTICIPATED IMPACTS

a) Summary of Impacts to date

Please summarise any impacts of the project to date, referring where appropriate to associated outputs
recorded on ESRC Society Today. This should include both scientific impacts (relevant to the academic
community) and economic and societal impacts (relevant to broader society). The impact can be relevant
to any organisation, community or individual. [Max. 400 words]

Scientific Impacts:

Data dissemination:
This has included the completion of our data gathering, the production of primary data on
attitudes to and discourses around anti-terrorism and security, and the offer of this data to the
UK Data Archives.

Publications to date:
Jarvis, L. & Lister, M. (2010) Stakeholder Security: The new Western way of Counter-
terrorism?, in Contemporary Politics 16(2), pp. 173-188 [available on ESRC Society Today].

Jarvis, L. & Lister, M. (2011) Research in Progress: Anti-terrorism, Citizenship and Security in
the UK, in International Studies Today 1(1), p.7, available online at:
http://www.bisa.ac.uk/images/bisa_general/international_studies_today_vol1_issue1_v2.pdf
[by invitation].

Academic Workshop:
Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK. Academic workshop held at Swansea

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To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

University on 15-16 July 2010. A full programme for the workshop is contained on ESRC Society
Today.

This workshop facilitated the consolidation of contacts with other researchers working in this
field, and presented at least two further impacts. First, a proposal for a special issue from the
workshop (see below), and, second, our involvement in other activities organised by participants.
For example, we have been recently accepted an invitation to attend Dr. Basia Spaleks ESRC
sponsored conference Political Transitions, Policing and Counter-Terrorism: Power,
Partnership and Community on 27 & 28 July 2011.

We have also, during the lifetime of the project given conference papers and presentations on
our research including a presentation at the Political Studies Association Annual Conference,
and invited presentations at Oxford Brookes University and Kings College.

Collaborative Work
We have recently been invited to collaborate with Chatham Houses International Security
Programme on a forthcoming event on the impacts of the UKs Prevent Strategy.

Economic and Societal Impacts:

Policy Briefings:
Anti-terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK. Research dissemination seminar held at
Portland House, Victoria on 16 January 2011 with governmental and non-governmental
stakeholders. Attendees included representatives from the Office for Security and Counter-
Terrorism (OSCT), Metropolitan Police Authority, the Muslim Contact Unit, the Muslim
Council of Britain, the Institute for Race Relations, and Facilitators for a Better Jamaica.

Feeling Secure? The Public and UK Counter-terrorism Powers. Swansea University National
Assembly Briefing, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff. (December 2010).

Counter-terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK. Evidence submitted to the Home Office
Rapid Review of Counter Terrorism Powers, announced by the Home Secretary on 13 July
2010. Submission comprised a co-authored 49pp. summary of evidence prepared by Dr. Lee
Jarvis and Dr. Michael Lister.

Poster Presentation:
Research poster presented at the RCUK Global Uncertainties Programme Strategic Plan
Consultation of 31 January 2011.

Non-Academic Publication:
Lister M. & Jarvis, L. (2011) The Counter-Terrorism Review: Trading Liberty for Security, in
Open Democracy, 5 February 2011, available online at:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/dr-michael-lister-dr-lee-jarvis/counter-terrorism-
review-trading-liberty-for-security

6
To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

b) Anticipated/Potential Future Impacts

Please outline any anticipated or potential impacts (scientific or economic and societal) that you believe
your project might have in future. [Max. 200 words]

Scientific Impacts:

The Ends of Counter-Terrorism [Special Issue proposal to be submitted to British Journal of

Politics and International Relations in May 2011].

Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK [Co-authored research monograph. Initial

Proposal with sample chapters to be submitted to Cambridge University Press by August 2011].

State Terrorism: Toward an Expansionary Approach?, [Research article submitted to Security

Dialogue in January 2011; sent for external review in March 2011].

Comparing Spanish & British responses to Terrorism [Research article submitted to

Comparative European Politics in March 2011; sent for external review in March 2011]

Speaking of Security [Research article presently targeted at European Journal of International

Relations, expected submission August 2011].

Citizenship and Counter-terrorism: Rights, Responsibilities and Participation [Research article

presently targeted at Political Studies, expected submission July 2011].

Economic and Societal Impacts

We remain in contact both with community groups participating in our research, and with
governmental stakeholders invited to our dissemination events. In our future work we will seek
to keep these communities informed of our findings and plans, and intend to continue these
collaborative relationships.

You will be asked to complete an ESRC Impact Report 12 months after the end date of your award. The
Impact Report will ask for details of any impacts that have arisen since the completion of the End of
Award Report.

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To cite this output:
Lister, MJ, et al (2011) Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK
ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-3765. Swindon: ESRC

4. DECLARATIONS
Please ensure that sections A, B and C below are completed and signed by the appropriate individuals.
The End of Award Report will not be accepted unless all sections are signed.

Please note hard copies are NOT required; electronic signatures are accepted and should be used.

A: To be completed by Grant Holder

Please read the following statements. Tick ONE statement under ii) and iii), then sign with an electronic
signature at the end of the section.
i) The Project
This Report is an accurate overview of the project, its findings and impacts. All co-investigators
named in the proposal to ESRC or appointed subsequently have seen and approved the Report.

ii) Submissions to ESRC Society Today

Output and impact information has been submitted to ESRC Society Today. Details of any future
outputs and impacts will be submitted as soon as they become available.
OR
This grant has not yet produced any outputs or impacts. Details of any future outputs and
impacts will be submitted to ESRC Society Today as soon as they become available.
OR
This grant is not listed on ESRC Society Today.

iii) Submission of Datasets

Datasets arising from this grant have been offered for deposit with the Economic and Social
Data Service.
OR
Datasets that were anticipated in the grant proposal have not been produced and the Economic
and Social Data Service has been notified.
OR
No datasets were proposed or produced from this grant.