Peter Lehr

Peter Lehr is a Senior Lecturer in Terrorism Studies at the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), School of International Relations, University of St Andrews, UK. He has been affiliated with the university since September 2004, initially joining as a Research Fellow focusing on the nexus between piracy and maritime terrorism. His academic base is firmly rooted in the interdisciplinary study of political violence and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

His research interests center on violent 'grey area phenomena'—particularly terrorism, political violence, organized crime (with a focus on maritime piracy), and religious violence, including militant expressions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. He is best known for developing the concept of 'Enraged Buddhism,' which examines Buddhist nationalism and vigilantism as forms of political extremism. His methodological approach draws from Max Weber’s 'Verstehen,' emphasizing empathy and deep contextual understanding through ethnographic methods such as participant observation in monasteries and interviews with actors involved in organized crime.

The recent scholarly output reflects a strong trend toward maritime security and religious extremism, with publications spanning historical analyses of piracy to contemporary studies of Buddhist nationalism. His work often combines thick descriptive ethnography with critical security studies, contributing to both academic and policy-oriented discourse.

• Research on 'Enraged Buddhism' and Theravāda Buddhist extremism
• Historical and modern analysis of maritime terrorism and piracy
• Security dynamics in South and Southeast Asia
• Non-traditional security threats such as over-fishing and governance at sea

He has received research funding from the European Commission for projects on security threats in South Asia and has contributed expert evidence to UK parliamentary inquiries. His academic service includes numerous invited talks, peer reviews, and participation in research networks such as the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers.

Peter Lehr supervises postgraduate students and is actively involved in research leadership at CSTPV. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through advancing understanding of conflict, governance, and security in fragile regions.