Richard English is Professor of Politics at Queen's University Belfast, where he is also Director of  the  Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.

Professor English's research focuses on the history of political violence, terrorism, and nationalism, with a particular focus on Ireland and Britain.  His books include: 

Does Counter-Terrorism Work? (OUP, 2024)

The Cambridge History of Terrorism (CUP, 2021, edited)

The Oxford Handbook of Terrorism (OUP, 2019, co-edited)

Does Terrorism Work? A History (OUP, 2016)

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2013)

Terrorism: How to Respond (OUP, 2009)

Irish Freedom: The History of Nationalism in Ireland (Pan Macmillan, 2006)

Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA (Pan Macmillan, 2003)

Ernie O'Malley: IRA Intellectual (OUP, 1998)

Radicals and the Republic: Socialist Republicanism in the Irish Free State 1925-1937 (OUP, 1994).   

He is a Fellow of the British Academy, a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Member of  Academia Europaea, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, an Honorary Fellow of Keble College Oxford, a Faculty Affiliate at the University of Chicago, a Faculty Affiliate at Harvard University, and an Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews.  Professor English has given invited Lectures on his research in more than twenty countries.  In 2018 he was awarded a CBE for services to the understanding of modern day terrorism and political history. In 2019 he was  awarded the Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal in the Social Sciences. 

Research supervision areas (PhD) include: political violence and terrorism; Irish politics and history; the politics and history of nationalism.

Richard English, Does Counter-Terrorism Work? (Oxford University Press, 2024)

‘Judicious and thoughtful ... fair and balanced, critical without being polemical ... relevant and timely. Part of its argument is that history is important, and I am in complete agreement’

Martha Crenshaw, Stanford University

‘This is a judicious and precisely conceptualised approach to a subject as important and elusive as terrorism itself, but seldom examined so carefully. Policymakers and public alike need to understand why some methods are effective and others are the opposite. This book should become the leading study of this dangerously neglected topic’

                  Charles Townshend, author of Terrorism: A Very Short Introduction

‘a thoughtful and authoritative dissection of the counter-terrorism efforts of the “war on terror”, Northern Ireland’s Troubles and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and the lessons that each can offer … Richard English has dedicated decades to the analysis of terrorism and to governments’ efforts to overcome it. Given that the choices made in counter-terrorism policy impact directly upon each of us every day, it is a vitally important area of study’    Ian Cobain, The Observer 

‘a masterful, concise analysis of counter-terrorism … Richard English’s case studies yield deep insights into the flawed tactics of states in their efforts to eradicate terrorism … a balanced assessment … essential reading for those charged with safeguarding the state against terrorist threats … Does Counter-Terrorism Work? is an acute guide for all who want to understand why the misery inherent in terrorism often cannot be expunged as quickly as we should like’    Huw Bennett, Irish Times

‘the definitive text on political violence and how states should respond’                 Neil Mackay, The Herald

‘well-researched…a timely and thorough reassessment of the modern “War on Terror”’    History of War Magazine

‘exceptionally well-researched…a valuable guide to any government official or lawmaker who must design or oversee counter-terrorism policy…English makes several observations about counter-terrorism that policymakers should consider when they generate and try to oversee the work of those charged with carrying out those policies’

                  Bernard Hudson, The Cipher Brief

‘Richard English addresses a socio-politically relevant topic in his book, one that has not been tackled with such directness and clarity before. He guides readers through his thoughts in understandable language, critically evaluating his own theses with numerous examples. Therefore, the work is worth reading not only for its scholarly interest but also for its numerous excursions into the tactical uncertainties and political decision-making involved in counterterrorism efforts’

Anton Hahn, Portal für Politikwissenschaft 

‘Richard English’s concise, compelling book offers a nuanced response to the titular question and a nice follow-up to his previous work on the efficacy of terrorism. … Rather than drawing correlations from massive data sets, English takes a historian’s approach by respecting “the complex particularity of each individual context”. This methodology strengthens the book by obliging the reader to avoid easy answers and appreciate the different situations of each case’   Joseph Stieb, H-Diplo