Understanding Homeland Security
SAGE Journal Articles
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INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTICLES
The study of homeland security is a challenging field of study that requires experts, students, and members of society to understand the underlying reasons for the creation of homeland security systems, as well as the configuration of these systems. Those who examine homeland security must necessarily study data and theories grounded from a variety of disciplines, including political science, public administration, and the administration of justice.
Federal, state, and local authorities are perennially challenged by the problem of designing homeland security systems which reflect threats emanating from the current terrorist environment. These challenges are not new, and have historically posed very serious policy questions for all sectors of society. Unfortunately, these are challenges that are not easily resolved, and which will continue to be at the center of domestic policy.. The possibility of political violence is an unresolved problem, and exists across the nation. There are no ideal political, national, or social solutions that guarantee immunity from the possibility of being touched by terrorist violence.
The purpose of this online resource is to stimulate critical discussion about the attributes of homeland security systems and terrorist environments. This resource is organized into thematic parts which correspond to the textbook’s chapters. Articles have been selected from reputable scholarly journals, and additional articles are recommended for further study.
TEN CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
- Does a central cause exist which explains the creation of homeland security environments?
- Is it possible to accurately predict the likelihood of terrorist violence?
- What are the policy implications of research that indicates an association between homeland security measures and civil liberty challenges?
- Do homeland security measures effectively reduce the incidence of terrorism?
- Are particular levels of authority within the homeland security enterprise more effective in managing terrorist environments?
- Are innovations such as target hardening effective?
- How popular is the current homeland security enterprise? What explains different public opinions in different regions?
- What are some of the challenges faced by reformers who sincerely seek to reduce the extent of the homeland security enterprise in order to preserve civil liberty?
- How important are international legal institutions and conventions for preventing terrorist violence?
- Has enough research been conducted on the sociological and psychological impact of a pervasive homeland security environment?
CHAPTER 7. Sea Change: The New Terrorism and Homeland Security
Daniel Bar-Tal offers a conceptual framework for understanding intractable conflicts. Stephen Chan interprets and discusses the theoretical writings of Frantz Fanon and links his theories to modern suicide bombings. Dietrich discusses how the implementation of anti-terrorism policies may increase the risk of provoking increased resistance. Enders and Su present a discussion of how terrorist networks inevitably restructure themselves in response to proactive counterterrorist policies. Mario Ferraro presents an historical comparison and analysis on the phenomenon of “martyrdom” in different cultures. Margaret Gonzalez-Perez analyzes the roles of women within internationalist and domestic guerrilla organizations. An interesting comparison of Colombia’s FARC and paramilitaries is presented by Francisco Gutierrez-Sanin. Howard explains the importance of discovering the history of political thought. Sean Kay discusses modern international relations theory and globalization within the context of international terrorism. Mundy examines the politics of naming civil wars and the definitions of civil war. Piazza examines the relationship between poverty and terrorism, and possible association with minority economic discrimination. Porter contributes a literature review on discussions of asymmetric warfare. Raleigh discusses the proliferation of dissident paramilitaries in Africa. According to Jacek Salij moral suasion, rather than legalistic reactions, is the best approach for counteracting terrorism. Amartya Sen critically examines how the theories of the culture of societies and theories of political economy of power and inequality explain violence in global society. The psychology and motivations of violent Islamist radicals are examined by Andrew Silke. Kevin Siqueira discusses strategic interactions between governments and terrorist groups as they compete for public support. The article by Eli Somer, et. al., reports qualitative research on the effect of stress on Israeli hospital workers who treat civilian casualties. Spencer and croucher present a study which tests “spiral of silence” theory as it pertains to ETA in Spain and France. Tessler and Robbins explore why terrorist violence against the United States garners some sympathy among some members of the Arab populace. Anna Lisa Tota presents a cultural discussion of commemorative rituals, using three train bombings as case studies. Pnina Werbner discusses the impact of Islamist tendencies on Muslim emigrants to the United Kingdom. West and Orr evaluate the effects of perception and emotion during incidents of urban terrorism.
Ferrero, Mario. “Martyrdom Contracts.” In Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50:6 (December 2006).
Kay, Sean. “Globalization, Power, and Security.” In Security Dialogue, vol 35 (March 2004).
Sen, Amaryta. “Violence, Identity and Poverty.” In Journal of Peace Research, vol. 45 (January 2008).