Riots, rampaging mobs and looting are not mere curiosities of the past; nor are they events confined to the fringes of the modern world, only breaking out in less-developed and distant ... [read more]]]> Co-edited with Michael T. Davis, Disturbing the Peace: Riots, Resistance and Rebellion in Europe, 1381 to the Present (Palgrave Macmillan)

Riots, rampaging mobs and looting are not mere curiosities of the past; nor are they events confined to the fringes of the modern world, only breaking out in less-developed and distant nations that continue to bear the strain and duress of tyranny. On the contrary, rioting and resistance to the various powers that be is very much with us in the West at this moment in time.

There exists a wide range of simmering flashpoints that could potentially explode into rioting at any second given the right, or more appropriately the wrong, conditions and circumstances. We have seen millions marching on the streets to oppose wars and unjust domestic and foreign policies. What start out as peaceful lawful gatherings and protest marches, authorised and sanctioned to air dissenting views, can quickly turn into violent riots with costly results in terms of human casualties and property damage.