
Terrorism, the Worker and the City
Simulations and Security in a Time of Terror
Luke Howie(Author)
Gower Publishing Ltd
Published on 28. October 2009
Book
Hardback
206 pages
978-0-566-08889-6 (ISBN)
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Description
Soon after watching the twin towers falling in New York, some of those with business responsibilities were already asking themselves whether people would be willing to work in tall buildings ever again. Is work too risky? How can people be expected to attend work in what might now be seen as precarious and vulnerable workplaces and cities? Although, thankfully, large scale terrorist attacks are infrequent, the world's cities, and the businesses to which they are home, have been put on notice that it can come to any place at any time. In Terrorism, the Worker and the City, Luke Howie considers what steps managers and employees can and should take to protect their businesses from such an amorphous and indefinable threat. Deftly combining theoretical insight with empirical research, he reveals how, despite an appearance of 'business as usual', fear; anxiety; and suspicion permeate workplaces, even in cities that may not be at the top of any terrorist group's target list. Using the Australian city of Melbourne, a cosmopolitan city and major business centre with nearly four million people, as a metaphor for other such cities around the world, Dr Howie's research has uncovered that even where they don't perceive a high level threat, business managers who might face having to account for themselves to some post event Inquiry have taken action in consequence of the situation. Often, that action amounts to the introduction of what can be described as 'Simulated Security'. This cannot ever provide certain protection from terrorist attack, but it may be the best we can reasonably do. There is also evidence that it can be effective in terms of providing the reassurance to counter the terrorist objective of disrupting normal life through fear. With its rigorous research compared with other more speculative works on this subject, Terrorism, the Worker and the City will appeal to city and business leaders and managers, and security professionals, as well as those in governmental and academic research communities, for all of whom terrorism is now an ever present concern.
Reviews / Votes
'Thoroughly researched and thought provoking, the book is a mixture of sociological and behavioural theory and the results of empirical research conducted by the author...It would be impossible to try to encapsulate the contents of each of these chapters in a few words because the various theoretical themes and extracts from Dr Howie's research dovetail into each other, giving a sense of ebb and flow, of overlap and repetition throughout the work.' - Jacky Steemson, The RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health Journal 'Howie presents a new and insightful perspective on the terrorist attacks by focussing on the mediated experience by which most, including most New Yorkers, 'observed and participated in' them. Terrorism is about the theatre of fear, successful terrorism uses the hype of media to 'stage' the performance, in this case designed to instil fear in city dwellers.' - Professor Gary D Bouma, UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations Asia Pacific, Monash University. 'Howie's target is the intersection between terrorism, globalisation and work. A key argument is the power of the global image of terror to affect all workers in all cities. The book effortlessly moves between grounded empirical evidence and dazzling theoretical insight. This is an important book from an important new thinker on terrorism.' - Gavin Kendall, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology 'This is an important work from an important new thinker on terrorism. In my view, well worth a read.' - Brian Simms, Editor of Security Management Today (SMT)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 174 mm
Weight
592 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-566-08889-6 (9780566088896)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Dr Luke Howie is a Lecturer in the Department of Behavioural Studies and Member of the Global Terrorism Research Centre at Monash University. He is also a Research Associate at the Australian Homeland Security Research Centre, Canberra.
Content
Contents: Acknowledgements; Working in the theatre of terrorism; Working people as witnesses and victims of terrorism; The consequences and meanings of terrorism for businesses; Terror and the mediated city; Working in a time of terror; Simulated security: a business response to terrorism; Terror-work; Bibliography; Index.