Children's Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism: Children of Nowhere

Children’s Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism emphasises the vulnerability of children in situations of war, conflict and radicalisation. Presenting innovative interdisciplinary work in the field, this book highlights how an increasingly high number of returning foreign fighters – and by proxy their children – are being refused re-entry to their country of primary citizenship, leading to a significant number of children trapped in conflict regions.

Incorporating data from a broad range of scholarship and empirical sources, the authors outline linkages between counter-terrorism knowledge, policy, and practice, as well as child rights and counter-terrorism law. They argue that to foster the growth and development of children it is imperative to remove all stains of criminality and support their repatriation. Exploring issues of nationality rights and statelessness, the chapters examine the cancellation of citizenship as a strategy of preventative counter-terrorism, while dissecting relevant cases across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.

This cutting-edge book is essential for academics in human rights, terrorism and security law, humanitarian law, public law, international child law, family law, and migration and citizenship. Its comparative and international coverage of child rights and counter-terror measures will also benefit national security and human rights practitioners.