Assignment:
You must prepare a research paper on a topic relating to homeland security. A topic withparticular emphasis on critical infrastructure protection involving the Water, Food & Agriculture or IT/Cybersecurity sectors would correspond more closely with the focus of this course, but you may choose to focus on other sectors or homeland security-related issues that are more applicable to your current or desired career, agency or discipline, or to your own academic research interests.Topic proposals are subject to my approval.The length for thebodyof the paper should beapproximately15 to 20pages (approximately 250 to 300 words per page, for a total of about 4,500-6,000words), not including the Title Page (with Statement of authorship), Table of Contents, Abstract, Tables, Appendixes (if any), and References.Usestandardformatting (margins, font, etc.). APA citation style should be followed throughout the paper. Keep in mind that overall length is just one criterion; the major criterion is thequalityof the content.
You may re-use only a limited amount -5% or less -of material from papers you have written for other courses or at other institutions. You must also provide citation for that material in the body of the paper and in the reference list. Not doing so is considered self-plagiarism under APA guidelines (2010, pp. 16, 29, 170). If you feel that you have adequate justification for exceeding the 5% limit, discuss this in advance with the instructor, whose decision will be final.
Please post a description of the topic (i.e., a brief proposal, abstract, or thesis statement) for your research topic for my review and approval.
• Provide a well-formulated thesis statement or abstract.
• Identify your research strategy(ies); for example, using academic and substantive government sources; conducting interviews (this should be limited); collecting and analyzing data.
• List at least 2 academic or substantive government resources on the topic, cited in correct APA reference list format as a preliminary bibliography.
Please post a description of the topic for your research topic for my review and approval. You may post any time, but no later than the end of Read and understand the following sections before you post your description:
• Selecting a topic
• Required elements of the description
Selecting a Topic
You may choose from one of the topic areas listed below, or you may suggestyour own topic. You may pursue a topic of special interest or relevance to you.
Bottom line: The topic must clearly relate in some clear way to homeland security, and preferably also to critical infrastructure protection. I need to approvethe choices, so the earlier you select, the better.When selecting a topic, keep in mind that your paper must analyze, synthesize,and evaluate information in a logical fashion. A topic that presents the applicationof concepts, for example, would be too shallow because it lacks evaluation of theinformation. Also not acceptable are papers that are basically mash-ups or"regurgitation" of information copied-and-pasted from various sources; your paper must demonstrate your own original work and critical thinking.
Topic Suggestions: The following list of topics includes samples selected from papers submitted during past semesters. You will need to narrow your choicethrough your thesis statement or abstract, and show a clear connection withhomeland security and/or critical infrastructure protection. You are not limited to
these options:
• Citizen/personal/family/community preparedness in the context of themodern "whole community" doctrine
• The military/DoD/National Guard role in homeland security/defense anddomestic operations (e.g., disaster response, border security, militarysupport to civil authorities, critical infrastructure protection, PosseComitatus restrictions, etc.)
• Climate change and the Arctic region as emerging issues in emergency management, /homeland security/national security, critical infrastructureprotection
• Disaster resiliency or resilience (including at an individual, community, organizational, regional or national level) 2
• Risk (including theoretical, conceptual or policy issues relating to risk assessment or analysis, risk management and risk communications)
• Public-private sector partnerships for emergency preparedness andresponse, including the importance of social capital or social networktheory
• American federalism and emergency management/homeland security, including the theoretical, legal, conceptual or policy issues relating to theinteractions, relationships, respective roles and responsibilities, of local,state, tribal and federal government
• Public health preparedness and response to the SARS, avian flu (H5N1) or swine flu (H1N1) outbreaks or pandemics (2003-2010)
• The BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010)
• The Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuclear Disaster (2011)
• Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy (2012)
• Joplin, MO, Tornado and/or Tuscaloosa-Birmingham, AL, Tornado (2011), and or Moore, OK (2013)
• School Violence Incidents (e.g., Bath School Bombing of 1927; Columbine1999; Virginia Tech 2007; Newtown, CT 2012, etc.)
• Law enforcement Intelligence fusion centers
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)/Flood Mapping
• Domestic/"home-grown" terrorism or violent extremism in the U.S.
• Emergency first responders and critical infrastructure protection
• Nuclear plant safety and security (Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program) in the U.S.
• Chemical Facility safety and security
• Border/Immigration security programs or measures
• The TSA and aviation security programs or measures (e.g., STOP/behavioral assessment programs; body scanners, etc.)
• Food protection and defense programs, vulnerabilities, oversight,agroterrorism
• Major foodborne illness outbreaks or food contamination cases
• The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
• Cybersecurity programs, plans, policies, frameworks, initiatives or strategies
• Y2K preparedness and response (1999)
• Homeland Security and Emergency Management higher educationprograms
• State/Local emergency management & homeland security organization or programs for critical infrastructure protection
• Minneapolis I-35W Bridge collapse (2007)
• Terrorist threats against public mass transit/subway systems
• Information Technology: The one critical infrastructure that runs them all
• Rehabilitation of an aging dam infrastructure
• Immigration reform: Is the Dream Act the key?
• Terrorist threats against National Monuments and Icons
• Electric utility infrastructure threats & vulnerabilities
• Role and impacts of fatigue and vigilance (human performance optimization) on security screeners
• Maritime port security in the United States
• Terrorist threats or attacks, technological or natural disasters affecting critical infrastructure in other countries-especially food & agriculture or 4water sectors, and lessons learned.
• Water and wastewater system threats, vulnerabilities and security measures
• Civil liberties concerns or issues (e.g., the USA PATRIOT Act, fusion centers and data mining, biometrics and behavioral profiling, the use of
drones for domestic ops, NSA electronic eavesdropping, etc.) It's okay if you want to do research on a topic that someone else already selected. People can approach the same topic with different insights and sources.
Required Elements of the Research Topic Description
• A thesis statement or abstract, describing the problem area you intend to address. The problem area should be focused rather than broad and suitable for you to evaluate information gathered in your research and cogently analyze that information. For example:
o This paper will examine the history of regulations, standards, industry collaboration, training and exercising for crisis communications and public warnings involved with nuclear power plant drills and incidents.
• Your research strategy, which may include one or more of the following:
o Gather information from sources such as academic journals or books or government publications;
o Conduct interviews with, for example, subject matter experts;
o Collect data for analysis, whether through surveys, observations, or experiments.
• The names of at least 2 scholarly articles or books or government documents you intend to use as sources of information. (For the final
paper, you will need at least 5 scholarly or government items as sources, plus 5 more sources -- a total of 10 sources minimum.)
. Note: Online dictionaries or encyclopedias such as Wikipedia do not count toward the minimum of 10 sources, and you should generally avoid using or citing these types of sources.