Description
Over the past two decades, the increased use of militarised drones has given rise to a rich field of critical scholarship into their societal, ethical, legal and political implications. However, much of this scholarship remains focused on the use of drones in the context of counterterrorism, particularly in relation to the so-called Global War on Terror. Since then, the types and characteristics of drones, their uses, and their contexts of deployment have sharply increased in variety; it is, therefore, essential to broaden this focus and investigate the applications and effects of drones in other geopolitical and socio-technological settings. To do so, this panel moves beyond the paradigm of counterterrorism to expand critical engagement and investigate the multifaceted effects of the use of drones on their targets, operators and society more broadly. Bringing together scholars from a range of critical perspectives, this panel will investigate how drones continue to reshape the practice and our understanding of surveillance, warfare and the military/militarisation, thus exploring future avenues for critical scholarship on drones and security.
