Dr. Morrison is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Prior to joining UEL he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the International Center for the Study of Terrorism (ICST) at Pennsylvania State University.  Within this role he was the project manager of ICST’s research on modern-day dissident Irish Republican organizations. For his doctoral dissertation, “The Affirmation of Behan?” Dr. Morrison analysed the four major splits in the Irish Republican Movement from 1969 until 1997.   This research was based on an extensive interview process, as well as the analysis of primary and secondary sources.  Dr. Morrison holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, an M.A. in Forensic Psychology from University College, Cork, and a B.A. in Psychology from University College, Dublin. 

Module leader:Developing Criminological Skills

Lecturer: Critical Perspectives on Counter-terrorism

Lecturer: Critical Perspectives on Terrorism

Lecturer: Psychological Criminology

Lecturer: Crime and Social History

Dr. Morrison's research interests are Northern Irish terrorism, dissident Irish republican terrorism, political organizational theories of terrorism, splits in terrorist organisations, the psychology of terrorism, international terrorism and counter-terrorism strategies.

BA Criminology and Criminal Justice

MA Terrorism Studies

Developing Criminological Skills

Critical Perspectives on Counter-terrorism

Critical Perspectives on Terrorism

Psychological Criminology

Crime and Social History

Morrison, J.F.  (2011) “Why Do People Become Dissident Irish Republicans?” In Dissident Irish Republicanism, eds. M. Taylor and Currie. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Horgan, J. and Morrison, J.F. (2011). “Here to Stay? The Rising Threat of Violent Dissident Republicanism in Northern Ireland.” In Terrorism and Political Violence, 23, pp.642-669.

Horgan, J. and Morrison, J. F. (forthcoming). “Splits, Schisms and the Birth of the Dissidents” In Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland’s Dissident Terrorists. New York: Oxford University Press.

Horgan, J. and Morrison, J. F. (forthcoming). “Violent Dissident Republican Activity.” In Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland’s Dissident Terrorists. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dr. Morrison is a member of the International Studies Association (ISA), Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Horgan, J. and Morrison, J.F. (2011). “Here to Stay? The Rising Threat of Violent Dissident Republicanism in Northern Ireland.” In Terrorism and Political Violence, 23, pp.642-669.

Since the advent of the Good Friday peace agreement, violence associated with dissident Irish Republican groups continues to present major security challenges. While there has not been a tragedy on the scale of the 1998 Omagh bombing, the level of violent dissident Republican (VDR) activity has risen steadily in frequency since then, and in 2010 reached unprecedented levels. This article presents findings from the VDR Project at the International Center for the Study of Terrorism at Pennsylvania State University. The research is based on the extensive identification, collection, and analysis of open source material examining the nature and extent of VDR activity from 1997 to 2010. The project analyses data on VDR activity across this period as well as the individuals taking part in these violent events. The data suggests that while originally recruitment was predominantly southern based it is now more focused on Northern Ireland. Analysis of the data also indicates that the VDR leadership

continues to recruit individuals with skill-sets to serve the movement’s aims.