Professor Michael Neagle Publishes New Book, “Chasing Bandits: America’s Long War on Terror”
In the wake of the Trump administration’s recent high-profile attacks on alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking boats comes a new book, “Chasing Bandits: America’s Long War on Terror” (University of North Carolina Press), about the United States’ complicated history of military engagements against unconventional forces dating back well over a century.
“Chasing Bandits examines the contemporary war on terror through a wider historical lens,” Michael E. Neagle, professor of history at Nichols College, said. “It reveals a much longer pattern of these kinds of conflicts around the world as the U.S. became a global power. While the enemies examined here presented serious challenges to U.S. foreign policy, this narrative history shows they also had a utility in justifying American interventions abroad.”
While the war on terror has been America’s largest and most publicized attempt to root out foreign enemies this century, the quest to identify and destroy real or imagined threats to national security has long been a part of U.S. history.
Indeed, since the onset of the United States’ overseas empire at the dawn of the twentieth century, it has pursued enemies in places of strategic interest around the globe: the remote islands of the Philippines, the U.S. southern border, hemispheric hot spots in Central and South America and the greater Middle East.
The common depiction of these kinds of foes—private actors who did not formally represent the countries they fought for—has maintained a remarkable consistency over time. The only difference is that enemies who used to be called “bandits” then are now more often referred to as “terrorists.” The widespread use of such terms, which connote an illegitimacy of both cause and means, also has served to blunt deeper considerations of U.S. foreign engagements. Drawing on six case studies, Neagle spotlights the commonalities of how the United States has leveraged popular understandings of “bandits” to justify incursions abroad as well as rally popular and political support at home.
- History as It Happens: https://historyasithappens.libsyn.com/from-bandits-to-narco-terrorists
- Time magazine: https://time.com/7303350/demonizing-words-used-against-immigrants/
- Responsible Statecraft: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/narco-boats-military/
About the author: Michael E. Neagle is Professor of History, Director of History & Political Science, and Co-Chair of the Terrorism Studies and Media Studies programs at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. He is the author of “Chasing Bandits: America’s Long War on Terror” (University of North Carolina Press, 2025) and “America’s Forgotten Colony: Cuba’s Isle of Pines” (Cambridge University Press, 2016), as well as articles in Terrorism and Political Violence, The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and Time magazine. He serves as Vice President of the New England Historical Association. Neagle earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Connecticut and his bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross.
About Nichols College
Nichols College has earned business accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1815, Nichols College transforms today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education. Nichols offers real-world learning focused on professional depth – combined with vibrant living, competitive athletics, and an unmatched alumni advantage – equipping students to exceed their own expectations. www.nichols.edu.
Media Contacts
Denise Kelley
Writer/Editor
denise.kelley@nichols.edu
508-213-2219