This course will introduce students to the essential vocabulary and theories of homeland security. Students will define the crucial fundamentals of the department including exploring its mission and goals. The course will also cover the development of homeland security as a concept by studying the history, the present, and the future of the department. Students will develop an understanding of terrorism by learning how these organizations work, and what threats they pose to today’s society. In addition, students will learn that the man-made threats are not the only dangers challenging homeland security and that “natural threats” pose a challenge for the department. Students will also become acquainted with the ever-changing “National Strategy for Homeland Security”, and how the “National Incident Management System and Incident Command (NIMS)” affects the training and response of the department and its communities. Students will also become familiar with federal, state, and local laws, as well as international law, as it relates to the mission and goals of homeland security. Special attention will be dedicated to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and the Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 and how these Acts affect policymaking within the department. Students will also be introduced to the different communities associated with the Department of Homeland Security including the intelligence community, the security community, and the military community, this while looking at their working relationships and their important roles in a homeland security paradigm. Concerning these communities’, students will focus on the operational relationships of these communities and the challenges facing communication and technological barriers. Finally, students will learn the political and legal responses by the United States government and how the international community views the department’s initiatives
- Teacher: George Hill