This book is an analysis and critique of the concepts of 'exception' and 'exceptionalism' in the context of the politics of liberty and security in the so-called 'War on Terror'.

Since the destruction of the World Trade Centre on September 11^th 2001, a notable transformation has occurred in political discourse and practice. Politicians and commentators have frequently made the argument that the rules of the game have changed, that this is a new kind of war, and that exceptional times require exceptional measures. Under this discourse of exceptionalism, an array of...