Fear and Trust: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and the War on Terror

O'Driscoll, C. (2008) Fear and Trust: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and the War on Terror. Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 36(2), pp. 149-170. (doi: 10.1177/03058298080360020901)

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Abstract

This paper examines the July 2005 shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube Station. It argues that the action of the police officers who shot and killed Menezes was conditioned by same logic that informs the prosecution of the war on terror. This logic bares comparison to the humanist conviction that states possess a right of response where they perceive themselves to have a `fear' of impending injury or assault. This paper explores the historical lineage of this trope in the writings of Alberico Gentili, Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, and, humanist thought more generally. The aim is to explore the politics of fear at work in Britain in the political climate defined by the war on terror, with a view to ascertaining how deep it runs and whether a politics of trust might offer a possible remedy to it.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:O'Driscoll, Professor Cian
Authors: O'Driscoll, C.
Subjects:J Political Science > JC Political theory
J Political Science > JZ International relations
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
Research Group:Historical International Normative Theory
Journal Name:Millennium: Journal of International Studies
Journal Abbr.:Millennium
ISSN:0305-8298

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