Centre for Contemporary Studies

The Centre for Contemporary Studies was an allegedly 'independent' London based think-tank headed by Eric Moonman after he lost his seat in the House of Commons in the 1979 General Election. It seems to have been an early nexus of terrorology in the UK as it included Paul Wilkinson on its advisory board and published reports by Yonah Alexander. The organisation was officially dissolved on 3 March 1992.

Activities

The Centre published a number of reports on violence and social disorder in the early to mid-1980s. It had a particular preoccupation with football hooliganism and terrorism. The Centre's director recalled in 1987 a ‘a series of reports...dealing with football violence, and Fascist recruitment in schools and at rock concerts, undertaken by the Centre of Contemporary Studies, all stressing the seriousness of such action committed against a background of public interest and viewing participation.’

Several of the reports published by the Centre appear to have been the result of seminars and conferences. The London property tycoon Nam Dangoor is known to have sponsored a seminar on Federalism in the Middle East held by the Centre for Contemporary Studies at Anthony’s College Oxford in 1985. This no doubt led to the publicaiton of Beyond the Middle East conflict: a future for federalism?.

Members and associates

• Eric Moonman, Director
• Peter Bradley, Research Director
• Paul Wilkinson, member of advisory board

Note on Enoch Powell

The Papers of Enoch Powell stored at the Churchill Archives Centre include correspondence between Powell and Eric Moonman in his role as head of the Centre. The correspondence occurred some time between October 1981 and December 1986 and was probably an offer by Moonman for either an interview or an article which Powell rejected.

Publications

• Eric Moonman, Copy-cat hooligans (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1981)

• Yonah Alexander, Centre for Contemporary Studies, University of Aberdeen.; et al, Terrorism and the news media: conference papers (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1983)

• Anti-semitism, Zionism: the link: a report of the 1984 London and Oxford symposium

• Football as a focus for disorder (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1984)

• Peter Bradley, Eldon Wylie Griffiths and Gerald Kaufman, A review of community policing: a special report (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1984)

• E G H Joffé and Jonathan Frankel, Beyond the Middle East conflict: a future for federalism? (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1985)

• Yonah Alexander, State sponsored terrorism: low intensity warfare (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1986)

• Sir Raymond Hoffenberg, The health service and race: the CCS winter lecture 1985 presented at the Royal Society of Arts (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1986)

• Eric Moonman, Stars of today: talking, living, working and playing together (London: Centre for Contemporary Studies, 1986)

Terrorism

United Press International on publication of State sponsored terrorism in 1986:

If left unchecked, international terrorism may succeed 'in altering the balance of power on the international level,' a strategic studies research professor warned Wednesday. Yonah Alexander of Georgetown University in Washington accused the Soviet Union, Libya, Syria, Iran and Cuba of running full-fledged terrorist networks, 80 percent of which are 'Marxist-Leninist in their political thinking.' In a publication entitled State-sponsored Terrorism, compiled for the London-based Center for Contemporary Studies, Alexander contended Cuba backs terrorists to try to bring down existing regimes in Latin America and said its 'major role in promoting trans-Marxist terrorism ... is expanding.' 'Many of the important functions of Havana, the regional headquarters, now are being transferred to Nicaragua. From here, an expansion is being consolidated into El Salvador and other neighboring countries with a view toward eventually covering all of Latin America,' said Alexander. He gave no sourcing for the statements.