Stephen Vertigans: Research Interests
My research covers three main areas.
- Collective Violence including Terrorism and Genocide
- Islamic Movements
- Healthcare for rarely heard groups
Collective Violence including Terrorism and Genocide
There are three main strands to my research in this area.
I have a long standing interest in extending the focus of terrorism beyond the psychological and political realms by applying sociological analysis to a range of terrorist organisations across the world, ranging from the European ‘red’ terrorism of the 1970s to today's global terrorism. A sociological insight helps to explain the extension of terrorism through identifying the social conditions, relations and activities and interrelated processes that contribute to people undertaking acts of political violence.
Terrorism is always interwoven with government policies, particularly counter-terrorism which, within the West, is widely referred to today as the ‘war on terror’. I am particularly interested in this ‘war’ and adverse, unintentional impacts upon the innocent peoples who are caught up in the strategy of increased protection and surveillance. Ultimately this raises the broader concern about possible outcomes of the implementation of the ‘war on terror’ both upon ‘terrorists’ and the Western ways of behaving that counter terrorism is intended to protect.
Thirdly I am studying the social attitudes, activities and levels of pacification within societies and communities that are instrumental in the deliberate extermination of groups according to ethnic, national, racial or religious characteristics.
Islamic Movements
My research has focused upon the broad resurgence of Islam incorporating differing levels of beliefs and practices. Islamic behaviour and groups within local contexts, for example UK and Turkey, and across international boundaries are examined. The main thrust of my empirical research and analysis has been to reveal that the appeal of Islam crosses all social and economic groups and is dependent upon both local conditions and global interactions. Changing socialization processes, including the media, peers and education, are contributing to different aspects of identification with greater emphasis placed upon religious values and behaviour. A lot of my work in this area utilises sociological theory to help improve levels of knowledge and understanding about resurgent forms of Islam and the more extreme militancy associated with groups like ‘al-Qa’ida.’
Healthcare for rarely heard groups
As part of the Scottish Health Council’s (SHC) agenda of bringing rarely heard patient voices into the NHS planning process, I am exploring with Dr John Love inter-relationships between religion, ethnicity and healthcare in Scotland in a project for the Scottish Health Council (SHC). The study examines Muslims’ and Hindus’ experiences of the healthcare interface and will conclude with policy recommendations for the SHC and NHS (Scotland).
In 2006/7 I was involved in two research projects with Dr John Love. The projects explored the health-seeking behaviour and use of health services by ‘hard to reach’ social groups, in this case, Polish migrant workers and homeless people. Both studies examined processes of social exclusion and developed evidence-based solutions to overcome barriers to healthcare. On completion of the reports, a conference (22 June 2007) for health related organisations, the Polish Embassy, homeless and Polish agencies was organised at RGU, at the request of, and funded by SHC.
Other Funded Research
Joint project with Abertay University into student personal development plans (PDPs) funded by the Higher Education Academy, C-SAP undertaken 2006/8. The study examined staff and student perceptions of PDPs.
Journal Activities
- Religion Compass (Board Member)
- International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (Board Member)
- International Journal of the Humanities (Associate Board Member)
Relevant Publications
Collective Violence including Terrorism and Genocide
Vertigans, S., 2009. Militant Islam: Sociology of characteristics, causes and consequences. Abingdon: Routledge
Vertigans, S., 2009 forthcoming. Development of Northern Irish Catholic and Palestinian Muslim National Identities and the Role of Common Histories. In: L. Elling, ed. Social Development. New York: Nova Publishers
Vertigans, S., 2008. Terrorism and Societies. London: Ashgate.
Vertigans, S., 2007. ‘Beyond the Fringe? Radicalisation within the American Far-Right.’ Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions, 8 (3-4), 641-659.
Vertigans, S. (2007) ‘Routes into “Islamic” Terrorism: Dead Ends and Spaghetti Junctions’, Policing; A Journal of Policy and Practice’ 1(2).
Vertigans, S. (2007) 'Socialising Terrorists in a Global Context. In Moten, A.R. and Noor, N.M. (eds), Terrorism, Democracy, the West and the Muslim World." Singapore: Thomson Learning Asia.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2006). 'The Role of Anti-Terror Measures in the Development of 'Islamic' Terrorism.' International Journal of the Humanities. 4, (4): 87-94.
Vertigans, S. (2004). 'Social Barriers to Peace: Socialisation Processes in the Radicalisation of the Palestinian Struggle' Sociological Research Online. 9(2) August.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2001), 'Back to the Future: 'Islamic Terrorism' and Interpretations of Past and Present'. Sociological Research Online. 6(3).
Islamic Movements
Vertigans, S. (2008) ‘Introducing Militant Islam: Peoples, Places and Policing’, Policing; A Journal of Policy and Practice’ 2(4).
Vertigans, S. (2007) ‘Militant Islam and Weber’s Social Closure: Interrelated secular and religious codes of exclusion’, Contemporary Islam 1(4), 303-321.
Vertigans, S. (2007) ‘Islamic Socialism.’ In Darity, William A., Jr. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd edition. 9 vols. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, -International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.
Sutton, P.W and Vertigans, S. (2006). ‘Islamic’ New Social Movements? al-Qa’ida, Radical Islam and Social Movement Theory.’ 11(1): 101-116. Mobilization: an International Journal of Social Movement Research.
Sutton, P & Vertigans, S. (2005) Resurgent Islam: A Sociological Approach. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Vertigans, S. (2003) Islamic Roots and Resurgence in Turkey. Westport, USA, Praeger Publishers.
Sutton, P.W. and Vertigans, S. (2002). ‘Established and Challenging Outsiders? The Case of Resurgent Islam.’ Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions, 3(1): 58-78.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2002). ‘Globalization Theory and Islamic Praxis,’ Global Society, 16(1): 31-46.
Vertigans, S. (2003) Islamic Roots and Resurgence in Turkey. Westport, USA, Praeger Publishers.
Funded Research Publications
Moir, J. Di Domenico, C. Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2008)
‘Perceptions of Personal Development Planning in Sociology and Social Science: the Scottish Higher Education Context’ Enhanced Learning in Social Sciences, 1(2).
Love, J G, Love, A P, Vertigans, S V & Sutton, P W (2007). ‘Health and Homelessness in Aberdeen City : A report for the Scottish Health Council’ The Scottish Health Council, The Robert Gordon University
Love, J G, Love, A P, Vertigans, S V & Sutton, P W (2007). ‘Health and Ethnicity in Aberdeenshire – A study of Polish In-Migrants to Aberdeenshire : A report for the Scottish Health Council’ The Scottish Health Council, The Robert Gordon University
Refereed Conference Papers
Vertigans, S. (2009) 'De-Civilising Within: Understanding A Historical Analysis of post 1960s Western Terror Groups.' To be Presented at the 39th International Institute of Sociology Conference, Yerevan, Armenia, 11-15 June
Vertigans, S. (2008) 'De-Civilising in the Name of Civilisation: Understanding the Consensus on the "war on terror".' Presented at the 38th International Institute of Sociology Conference, Budapest, 26-30 June
Vertigans, S. (2008) 'The Militant Islamic ‘Nation’ and Trans/National Identities.' Presented at the 38th International Institute of Sociology Conference, Budapest, 26-30 June.
Vertigans, S. (2008) ‘Creating, Controlling & Challenging National Consensus: The Roles of Socialisation. Presented at Explanatory patterns and controllability of terrorist violence workshop, Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Bielefeld University 10-12 April.
Vertigans, S. (2006). ‘International Terrorism within the Middle East.’ Presented at the Second World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies, Amman, 11-16 June.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2006). ‘The Role of Anti-Terror Measures in the Development of ‘Islamic’ Terrorism.’ Presented virtually at The Fourth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities, Tunis, 3–6 July.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2005). ‘The Unintended Consequences of Nation-State Policies on International ‘Islamic’ Terrorism.’ 37th World Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, Stockholm, 5-9 July.
Sutton, P.W. and Vertigans, S. (2005). ‘Religious Social Movements? The Case of Militant Islam.’ 37th World Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, Stockholm, 5-9 July.
Sutton, P.W. and Vertigans, S. (2005). ‘Civilizations and Civilizing Processes: statics and dynamics in recent studies of resurgent Islam.’ 37th World Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, Stockholm, 5-9 July.
Vertigans, S. (2004). ‘Socialising Terrorists in a Global Context.’ International Conference on Muslim and Islam in the 21st Century, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, 3-6 August.
Vertigans, S. and Sutton, P.W. (2002). ‘Islam, al-Qa’ida and Globalization: An Established - Outsiders Perspective.’ ISA XVth World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, 7-13 July.
Sutton, P.W. and Vertigans, S. (2002). ‘Islamic Movements Against Globalization? Political Opportunities and Action Repertoires in Turkey.’ ISA XVth World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, 7-13 July.
