Exploring the temporality in/of British counterterrorism law and law making

Narratives of "time" can play a type of stabilising role in official discourses surrounding exceptional security practice. Whether referencing (or silencing) historical moments, forecasting when measures will return to normal, or debating temporal processes of law making, time can play a significant role in how discourses influence self/other perceptions and material outcomes of security: "x" event demands immediate response, "y" possible future catastrophe poses unacceptable risk, "z" terrorist is an ever-present yet ever-changing other. British counterterrorism law is a useful illustration to investigate how narratives of "time" influenced a shift in counterterrorism law from temporally situated but temporary measures to a type of atemporal policy position. Conceptualising the current state of counterterrorism as "atemporal" enables analysis to look beyond "the" exception, "the" event or "the" emergency. Through this conceptualisation we can better see how context has been left outside the realm of counterterrorism. In so doing, we may open new avenues for collaboration between terrorism studies, peace research and security practice.