Dr. Verena Erlenbusch Anderson

Biography

Verena Erlenbusch-Anderson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Illinois University. Her research focuses on political theory, with an emphasis on Western political culture. She is the author of the book "Genealogies of Terrorism: Revolution, State Terror, Empire" published by Columbia University Press in 2018. In her work, she problematizes the assumptions surrounding terrorism, particularly in the post-9/11 context. Her research is grounded in archival investigations of American counterterrorism practices, the French counterterrorism efforts during the Algerian Revolution, and the revolutionary movement in Russia. She traces how terrorism has historically operated as a mechanism of social defense since the late eighteenth century, used to justify the sovereign right to kill in the name of human life. Her current project examines the origins of the 'American age of terrorism' beginning in 2001, revealing the long history of terrorism intertwined with the struggles for what is perceived as the American way of life. Erlenbusch-Anderson argues that these struggles and responses to perceived threats shape the discourse around terrorism.

Research Interests

Experience