James Fitzgerald

Dr.

Contact Details


CG19C
T:Ext. 7772

E:James.fitzgerald@dcu.ie
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Dr James Fitzgerald is Associate Professor of Security Studies at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University, Ireland (2012-present) and Founding Director of the Erasmus Mundus International Master in Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS; 2016-present). He is Visiting Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil's highest ranking University) is also Affiliate Professor at the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland.

Previously co-convenor of the BISA Critical Studies on Terrorism Working Group (2013-2017), he specialises in applying political theory to dynamics of (violent) extremism and his most recent work examines the interface of disinformation and violent extremism. He is variously published in top-ranking journals, including Critical Studies on Terrorism, The International Journal of Press/Politics and First Monday, and in 2023, he co-edited a Special Issue on “The International Politics of Content Takedowns” for Policy & Internet. His current research (and teaching) focuses on the interrelationship between content moderation and extremism; conspiracy-led violent extremism, and conspiracy and disinformation in Brazilian and international politics.

In addition to his current posts, he has accepted visiting scholarships at prestigious institutions—including Columbia University and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)—and sits on the Editorial Board of Critical Studies on Terrorism. Dr. Fitzgerald has also presented his research at prestigious venues, including at the United Nations, the G20 (Brazil) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

An award-winning lecturer, Dr. Fitzgerald has a strong track record of attracting international research and mobility funding, standing at €10.85 million to date (as Principal Investigator and co-PI). He is also a leading member of a number of research institutes/networks, including the VOX-Pol Network of Excellence for the Study of Violent Online Political Extremism, the Jean Monet Network of Excellence for EU Counterterrorism (EUCTER) and the NetLab Internet and Social Media Studies Laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Dr. Fitzgerald is published in various public media, including in leading Irish newspapers, The Irish Times and the Business Post. He has written for wider audiences in the form of invited contributions and blogposts and has contributed to notable media outlets on matters of terrorism and security, including BBC News, Rolling Stone Magazine, National Geographic, Politken and The New Yorker

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2025 (2025) 'Defining Terrorism: South America' In: Elgar Concise Encyclopaedia of Terrorism Law. London : Elgar Publishing.
2025 Fitzgerald, J.; Mattos, B.; Santini, R.M.; Sálles, D. (2025) 'Violent Extremism in Brazil' In: Routledge Handbook of Online Extremisim. Abingdon : Routledge.
2020 (2020) 'Reflexivity in the Study of Security and Conflict' In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia Of Peace And Conflict Studies. [Link] [DOI]
2016 Fitzgerald, J. (2016) 'Critical Epistemologies of Terrorism' In: Routledge Handbook of Critical Terrorism Studies. Abingdon : Routledge. [Link]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2025 Fitzgerald, J., Santini, R.M., Sálles, D. (2025) 'The extraction ideology: Brazilian pro-agribusiness propaganda in times of climate emergency'. Critical Studies in Media Communication, . [DOI]
2025 Fitzgerald, J; Gerrand, V. (2025) '‘Wellness Influencers, Extremism and The Ontological Politics of Content Takedowns'. Policy and Internet, .
2024 Fitzgerald, J.; Lokmanoglu, A.D.; Salles, D.; Santini, R.M. (2024) 'Heaven Holds a Place for Those Who Pray: Instrumentalizing Religion and Disinformation the 2022 Brazilian and 2023 Turkish Presidential Campaigns'. International Journal of Press/Politics, . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Fitzgerald, J. (2022) 'Conspiracy, anxiety, ontology: Theorising QAnon'. First Monday, 27 . [Link] [DOI]
2017 (2017) 'Between Humanitarianism and Security: Displacement in a Perilous State of Exception'. EuropeNow, . [Link]
2017 (2017) 'Confronting the Terrorist/Refugee Narrative'. EuropeNow, . [Link]
2016 Fitzgerald, J. (2016) 'Frontline perspectives on preventing violent extremism: An interview with Alyas Karmani (STREET UK)'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 9 . [Link] [DOI]
2016 Fitzgerald J. (2016) 'Counter-radicalisation policy across Europe: an interview with Maarten van de Donk (Radicalisation Awareness Network)'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, :1-8. [DOI]
2016 Fitzgerald, J.; Ali, N.; Armstrong, M. (2016) 'Editors’ introduction: Critical terrorism studies: Reflections on policy-relevance and disciplinarity'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 9 . [Link] [DOI]
2016 Fitzgerald, J. (2016) 'Counter-radicalisation policy across Europe: An interview with Maarten van de Donk (radicalisation awareness network)'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 9 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Fitzgerald, J. (2015) 'Why me? An autoethnographic account of the bizarre logic of counterterrorism'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 8 . [Link] [DOI]
2011 Fitzgerald, J.; Lemieux, A.F. (2011) 'Embracing subjectivities in the collaborative teaching of terrorism: Pedagogy in a 'critical' learning environment'. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 4 . [Link] [DOI]
2011 (2011) 'Pedagogy in a blended-learning environment'. C-SAP: Higher Education Academy Subject Network for Sociology, .
2010 (2010) 'Across the divide: reflections of a collaborative class on terrorism'. Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, . [Link] [DOI]

Editorial

Year Publication
2023 Fitzgerald, James; Lokmanoglu, Ayse D. (2023) Special issue: The (international) politics of content takedowns: Theory, practice, ethics. ED [DOI]
2016 Fitzgerald, J; Ali, N; Armstrong, M (2016) Editors' introduction: critical terrorism studies: reflections on policy-relevance and disciplinarity. ABINGDON: ED [DOI]

Thesis

Year Publication
2014 (2014) Between the Lines: Al Qaeda, 'Islamic Extremism' and the Authorship of Critique. THES [Link]

Other Publication

Year Publication
2021 Fitzgerald, J. (2021) Forget 9/11. [Link] [DOI]

Book

Year Publication
2026 Fitzgerald, J. (2026) What are Conspiracy Theories For?. Bristol: Bristol University Press.
2018 (2018) Terrorism and Policy Relevance. [Link] [DOI]

Published Report

Year Publication
2024 Fitzgerald, J.; Santini, R.M.; Sálles, D.; Lokmanoglu, A. D.; Sombatpoonsiri, J.; Filho, H.S.R. (2024) The Economic Impact of Platform Transparency: Advertising Regulation for the Construction of Inclusive Digital Markets. G20, .
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
British Society for Middle Eastern Studies -
British International Studies Association Member -
International Institute for Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction -
International Studies Association Member -
Political Studies Association of Ireland -
Critical Terrorism Studies Working Group Convenor 01/09/2013 - 01/11/2016

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/05/2011 President's Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning Dublin City University
01/06/2017 Best Paper Award Council for European Studies
01/06/2021 Best paper award (runner-up) Council for European Studies Radicalism and Violence Network

Committees

Committee Function From / To
SALUS: A Journal of Law Enforcement, National Security & Emergency Management 01/09/2019 - 30/04/2025

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Dublin City University Teaching Fellow in International Relations 01/09/2011 - 31/08/2012
National University of Maynooth Ireland Adjunct Lecturer in Security Studies 01/09/2010 - 31/08/2011
Dublin City University Lecturer in Security Studies 01/09/2012 - 31/08/2014
Dublin City University Assistant Professor in Terrorism Studies 01/09/2014 - 17/05/2022

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
01/09/2007 Dublin City University PhD International Relations
01/09/2005 Dublin City University MA International Security and Conflict Studies
01/09/2002 Dublin City University BA Bachelor of Business Studies

Languages

Language Reading Writing Speaking
Brazilian Portuguese Fluent Fluent Fluent

Other Activities

Description
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro BR Department of International Relations
Vietnam National University, Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi VN Department of International Relations
Columbia University NY NY US Department of Political Science

Media

Title Year Type Authors
Trump’s labelling of Antifa as terrorists is an attempt to consolidate personal power 2020 Newspaper article (Print) James Fitzgerald
Buffalo shootings show Great Replacement lie is gaining support 2022 Newspaper article (Print) James Fitzgerald
Sunday AM, TV3, Interviewed on the development of ISIS and the 13 November Paris attacks 2015 Television interview/panel discussion TV3
‘Faculty-Inspired Team-Teaching Makes Internationalization Affordable’ 2011 Newspaper article (Print) Aisha Labi
British Library declines Taliban archive over terror law fears 2015 Newspaper article (Print) BBC News
Interview on RTÉ 9 o Clock News re. Irish Dissident Republicanism 2017 Television interview/panel discussion Raidió Teilifís Éireann
The Evolution of Evil: Osama bin Laden 2015 Documentary Discovery Channel
Interviewed on attack in Woolwich, London 2013 Radio Interviews Today FM

Research Interests

 Terrorism and Political Violence, Conspiracy and Violent Extremism, International Relations Theory, Philosophy of Social Science, Political Theory, Reflexivity, 'Post-structuralist' Thought


Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
School of Law and Government PhD Scholarship grant 01/09/2007 01/08/2009
Promoting Student Engagement in Large Classes Lead Contributor 01/09/2020 30/09/2022
Jean Monet Network of Excellence in Counter-Terrorism (EUCTER) grant 01/09/2020 01/08/2023
Erasmus Mundus International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) grant 01/09/2016 01/09/2025
President’s Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning award 01/01/2011
Confronting the terrorism/refugee narrative: human stories of resistance DCU PI 01/01/2017 30/09/2017
International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) Founding Director, Associated Partner Liaison The International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) is a 24 month Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) awarded by a consortium of European universities – University of Glasgow (UK); Dublin City University (Ireland); Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic) and the University of Trento (Italy), working in conjunction with a wide network of associate partners, including the University of Cádiz (Spain) and OTH Regensburg (Germany). 01/09/2020 31/08/2025
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Scholarship grant 01/09/2009 01/08/2011

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Turcsan ,Virag PhD-track Supervisor

Teaching Interests

Terrorism, Counterterrorism, Disinformation, Social Media, Political Theory, Methodology and Research Design

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022 LG245
2020 LG117
2020 LG368
2022 LG353
2020 LG5030
2020 LG343
2020 LG536
2020 LG333
2020 LG5029
2020 LG359