About Book

Cultures of Counterterrorism examines how France and Italy have developed distinct counterterrorism responses in the post-9/11 era, emphasizing the role of historical experience, political culture, legal traditions, and institutional memory in shaping national security practices. Silvia D’Amato moves beyond purely operational analyses to explore counterterrorism as a culturally embedded process, demonstrating how ideas about threat perception, national identity, civil liberties, and state authority influence policy choices and public discourse. By comparing French centralization and legal-administrative strength with Italy’s historically negotiated and judicially mediated approach, the book highlights how counterterrorism strategies are socially constructed rather than universally transferable. This analysis is highly relevant to GRACE objectives, as it encourages critical reflection on securitized responses, underscores the importance of legitimacy, proportionality, and social trust, and contributes to moderation-oriented counterterrorism thinking that supports peaceful coexistence, prevention of radicalization, and sustainable security grounded in democratic norms rather than coercion alone.