Canada on the United Nations Security Council: A Small Power on a Large Stage by Adam Chapnick
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Published date | 01 September 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020702020954176 |
| Author | Kevin Spooner |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
these definitional issues is an essential prerequisite for this sort of analysis, and is
critical to determining what these data are actually able to reveal.
The chapter by Chenoweth and Dugan also presented new statistical data on
terrorist incidents in Canada, but once again, this study rests on some problematic
assumptions. Most notably, the authors state that the rationale behind Canada’s
intervention in Afghanistan was to protect its citizens from attacks at home, and
the entire chapter argues against this “deterrence thesis.” Yet, to say the reason
Canada deployed to Afghanistan was to protect citizens from attacks is simply
erroneous. Elected officials stated many different reasons for deploying to
Afghanistan (e.g., women’s rights, democracy, etc.). But this is rhetoric, not reality.
Indeed, Canadians sent troops to Afghanistan because of Article 5 in the NATO
Charter, as a direct response to the US call for collective self-defence. Overall, the
authors argue that these missions added fuel to the fire of global terrorism; how-
ever, the problematic framing of this chapter render its analysis less effective.
With respect to its organization, the editors divided the book into three parts:
(a) Terrorism; (b) Security and Counterterrorism; and (c) Society, Terrorism, and
Counterterrorism. I appreciate that it is difficult to differentiate and classify com-
plex themes into discrete categories; however, these sections do not categorize the
chapters along any clear conceptual lines. Chapter 11 on lone wolf attacks, for
example, could have just as easily fit into the first section on “Terrorism” as it did
in the “Society, Terrorism, and Counterterrorism” section. It may have made more
sense to categorize the chapters into more specific themes, such as “terrorism and
digital technology” and “domestic terrorist threats.” As a result, the book reads as
a bit of a hodgepodge of chapters, with no coherent narrative guiding the sections.
That said, the overall factual basis of the chapters appears quite sound, despite
data limitations. However, it is not correct that al-Shabaab has a growing affilia-
tion with ISIS (286), nor has this been the case at any point up until the time of this
review. Quite to the contrary, these groups are sworn enemies.
In sum, Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Canada offers a good survey of
topics pertaining to the terrorist threat in Canada. It would be especially useful
as an introductory volume for students, as well as a handbook for informed
citizens looking to move past the headlines and better engage with substantive
security issues. Given the rapid evolution of this field of study, Littlewood,
Dawson, and Thompson should be lauded for compiling a timely and important
contribution that effectively maps the Canadian landscape.
Adam Chapnick
Canada on the United Nations Security Council: A Small Power on a Large Stage
Vancouver: UBC Press, 2019. 308pp. $89.95 (cloth)
ISBN: 978-0-77486-161-8
Reviewed by: Kevin Spooner (kspooner@wlu.ca), Wilfrid Laurier University
Canada’s campaign to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council was a
top priority in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s December 2019 mandate letter to
452 International Journal 75(3)
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