Book Talk: "Islamic Politics, Muslim States, and Counterterrorism Tensions" by Peter Henne

Date:
Time:
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location:

8400 Baltimore Ave., Suite 250, College Park, MD 20740

On Monday, November 6 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at START Headquarters, Peter Henne will give a presentation on his new book, Islamic Politics, Muslim States, and Counterterrorism Tensions. The events is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated. Read Professor Henne's latest op-ed in the Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog.

The US Global War on Terror and earlier US counterterrorism efforts prompted a variety of responses from Muslim states despite widespread Islamic opposition. Some cooperated extensively, some balked at US policy priorities, and others vacillated between these extremes. This book explains how differing religion-state relationships, regimes' political calculations, and Islamic politics combined to produce patterns of tensions and cooperation between the United States and Muslim states over counterterrorism, using rigorous quantitative analysis and case studies of Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey. The book combines recent advances in the study of political institutions with work on religion and politics to advance a novel theory of religion and international relations that will be of value to anyone studying religion, terrorism, or Islamic politics. It also provides numerous insights into current events in the Middle East by extending its analysis to the Arab Spring and the rise of the Islamic State.

Professor Henne's research and teaching focus on the Middle East and global religious politics. He is particularly interested in the different ways states restrict or support religion, and what effect this has on their international and domestic politics. His book "Islamic Politics, Muslim States and Counterterrorism Tensions," (Cambridge University Press, 2017), analyzes how Muslim states' relationship with Islam affects their counterterrorism policies; the study includes a large-n statistical analysis as well as in-depth case studies of Pakistan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Professor Henne has also written on the role of religion in international conflict and the United Nations. In addition to this, Professor Henne has written on how religion and transnational ties affect terrorism, and what the popular television show Battlestar Galactica tells us about modern society. His new project analyzes the response of Middle East states to the Arab Spring. 

Professor Henne has a Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College. He was also a fellow at the University of Virginia's Miller Center. Prior to UVM, Professor Henne worked in Washington, DC with the Pew Research Center, the National Consortium for Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, and as a consultant with the US government. He worked on a variety of issues, including Middle East politics, counterterrorism, and religious repression.  

Professor Henne's work has appeared in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, Terrorism and Political Violence and Politics and Religion. He has also discussed international religious issues in several media outlets, including NPR All Things Considered, Voice of America, and The Atlantic.