Durham, September 30 — The SGIA & Global Policy Book Podcast has returned with a new series focused on research design and counterterrorism, featuring three episodes that examine how scholars approach politically sensitive topics in an era of artificial intelligence and enduring colonial legacies. The first episode highlights Dr Anouk S. Rigterink of Durham University and Dr Mareike Schomerus of Busara and the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy discussing their co-authored book, Research Design in Politics and International Relations, published by SAGE in 2026.
They explain how the book starts with urgent global challenges like climate change and violent conflict before determining appropriate research methods, reversing the traditional methodology-first approach. The scholars openly address the emotional toll of research, including doubt, distraction, and frustration that often precede moments of insight, even as AI tools become more prevalent in academic work.
The second episode centers on Dr Alice Finden and her book, Counterterrorism and Colonialism: Everyday Violence in Britain and Egypt, published by Routledge in 2025. Drawing on feminist, postcolonial, and socio-legal perspectives, Finden argues that counterterrorism operates not only through extraordinary measures but also through routine administrative and legal practices that sustain colonial power structures and reproduce inequality. The discussion covers ethical dilemmas in researching sensitive contexts, methods for critically engaging with colonial archives amid imperial biases, and theoretical engagements with thinkers such as Achille Mbembe and Giorgio Agamben.
The episode concludes with an analysis of current British counter-extremism policy, its links to colonial governance, and possibilities for resistance, refusal, and hope. The third episode features Dr Kodili Chukwuma, Assistant Professor of International Security at the School of Global and International Affairs, discussing his book, Nigeria’s Counter-terrorism Strategy: Constructions of Threat, Response and Identity, published by Edinburgh University Press in 2025.
Using critical, constructivist, and discursive frameworks, Chukwuma explores how Nigerian counterterrorism policies actively shape perceptions of threat, state formation, societal dynamics, and national identity rather than merely reacting to existing dangers. He reflects on his own positionality and describes counterterrorism as a ‘pharmakon’ — a force that functions as both remedy and poison. The conversation examines how material conditions and political interests determine which threats are elevated as significant, with implications for scholars, policymakers, and the public.
All three episodes are available for streaming via links associated with the podcast, including access to the books under discussion and other listening platforms, with distribution also on Spotify. The series is produced by the Global Policy Journal, and the accompanying materials include a photograph by Alpha En from Pexels. Copyright for the content is held by GlobalPolicyJournal as of 2025.
