Homeland and National Security

Homeland and National Security: Understanding America's Past to Protect the Future examines the events that have led to the establishment of the Department of Defense and how national security has changed since then. The September 11, 2001 attacks on American soil resulted in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the country's third largest Cabinet-level department, highlighting homeland security as another primary objective in protecting the nation. Early chapters provide historical perspective, describing the nature and practice of national security from the American Revolutionary War through the post-Cold War era. The latter half of the book provides a detailed examination of homeland and national security concepts as we now understand it, which includes consideration of traditional terrorism, homegrown terrorism, innovative terrorism, natural disasters, conflict, specific statutes, initiatives, and agencies, and the roles of intelligence, emergency preparedness, and communications. Each chapter includes key terms, learning objectives, case studies, application activities, and a quiz. Homeland and National Security can be used in courses of political science, domestic and international terrorism, homeland security, emergency management, international relations, national security, homeland security strategy, policy, and specific aspects of criminal justice. The book will also be of interest to government agencies dealing with security issues, and lay readers interested in a critical area of American policy.