Report 1

Topic 1-

A history of civilization is a history of migration. Populations the world across have for millennia voyaged to different territories in search of new opportunities, in the quest for discoveries, and to establish new beginnings. Particularly ever since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, however, immigration has become a hotly contested issue within social and political circles. Claims have been made that migration patterns have led to rises in extremist behaviors, thus prompting wide sweeping legislative action to curtail the flow of migrants. Various scholars have since devoted considerable effort to examining whether in fact immigration itself shares any empirical relationship with terrorist/extremist behavior. Against this backdrop, you will be asked for this paper topic to retrieve a minimum of seven (7) published and peer-reviewed literary sources on the topic of immigration and homeland security/terrorism. Your papers should begin by synthesizing the state of knowledge concerning the immigration-terrorism connection. Does increased migration flow actually lead to elevated levels of terrorist activity? How does the research you gather inform this question? From there, explain what the United States government has done since 9/11 in regards to immigration reform, particularly in reference to homeland security? Have restrictive measures been adopted to stop the flow of migrants? If so, what are they? How are they being enforced? Are they effective? In short, for this paper, summarize from the research whether immigration influences terrorist activity, and what our country has done from a homeland security standpoint regarding immigration. Conclude your papers by discussing what you believe the future of immigration reform in the U.S. will hold in the coming years, specifically in regards to terrorism. Papers are to be a minimum of nine (9) pages in length, and ten (10) pages maximum, excluding title, cover, references, and other ancillary pages. Only text and content-based writing will contribute towards the final page count. Papers are to be grammatically well-written, formatted in accordance with the 7th edition of the APA manual, double-spaced with 1 inch margins, and typed using Times New Roman, 12-point font. For a complete breakdown of assignment expectations, please refer to the Final Paper Grading Rubric below. Final papers are due in the D2L dropbox folder of our course shell no later than Wednesday October 13, 2021 at 11:59 PM (central).

Topic 2-

Moral boundaries sometimes must be crossed when defending our nation from acts of terror. This is arguably no more evident than in relation to the use of enhanced interrogation, or torture methods. United States government officials have come under heavy scrutiny for their authorization of what many view as draconian, cruel and inhumane treatment of apprehended terror suspects. Many have been subjected to prolonged sleep deprivation, water-boarding, among other serious conditions. Our officials, in their defense, justify these practices on the grounds that they have routinely produced actionable intelligence that has led to thwarting terrorist plots, and saving lives. Nonetheless, debate persists surrounding the constitutionality, legality, morality and even efficacy of torture and other enhanced interrogation methods as viable means of waging our campaign against terror. For this paper topic then, you will be asked to retrieve a minimum of seven (7) published and peer-reviewed literary sources on the topic of enhanced interrogations and torture. Begin your essays by initially summarizing the history of torture dating back even to ancient civilizations, catalogue the different methods of torture, and then conclude by discussing the morality and effectiveness of torture practices. Should they continue to be used? Do they produce quality intelligence? What should the future hold for torture as we continue to fight terror on a global scale? Consider these and other questions as you brainstorm this topic. Papers are to be a minimum of nine (9) pages in length, and ten (10) pages maximum, excluding title, cover, references, and other ancillary pages. Only text and content-based writing will contribute towards the final page count. Papers are to be grammatically well-written, formatted in accordance with the 7th edition of the APA manual, double-spaced with 1 inch margins, and typed using Times New Roman, 12-point font. For a complete breakdown of assignment expectations, please refer to the Final Paper Grading Rubric below. Final papers are due in the D2L dropbox folder of our course shell no later than Wednesday October 13, 2021 at 11:59 PM (central).

Topic 3-

We devoted time this semester to analyzing various terrorist organizations across the globe. Each one differs from the other along numerous lines, ranging from their expressed grievances, to their structure, history, and even current state. Though acts of terror themselves may share fundamental similarities, the people perpetrating them can differ markedly. By researching these differences and uncovering the reasons why terrorist organizations develop in the first place, perhaps we will be better equipped to triumph definitively in what seems to be our unending War on Terror. With this insight in mind, you will be asked for this topic to retrieve a minimum of seven (7) published and peer-reviewed literary sources and compose a paper in which you compare and contrast two separate terrorist organizations. You could, for instance, focus your essays on the differences and similarities between the Tamil Tigers, and Red Brigades. Which organizations you select is entirely at your discretion. Your papers should address the history, evolution, reason for initial formation, notable acts of terror, and current state of each organization. Do both differ in any way? If so, how? Do they share similarities? What can we learn from each in order to succeed in conclusively ending terror in the modern world? Consider these and related questions as you draft your essays. Papers are to be a minimum of nine (9) pages in length, and ten (10) pages maximum, excluding title, cover, references, and other ancillary pages. Only text and content-based writing will contribute towards the final page count. Papers are to be grammatically well-written, formatted in accordance with the 7th edition of the APA manual, double-spaced with 1 inch margins, and typed using Times New Roman, 12-point font. For a complete breakdown of assignment expectations, please refer to the Final Paper Grading Rubric below. Final papers are due in the D2L dropbox folder of our course shell no later than Wednesday October 13, 2021 at 11:59 PM (central).

***Students interested in researching an alternate topic for their papers from the ones suggested are free to do so. Please, however, ensure your topic is germane to the CRJ-5100 Issues in Homeland Security course, and present it to the instructor for final approval a minimum of two weeks ahead of the submission due date. For this class, that would mean presenting your topic to me no later than September 30, 2021. The same grading criteria and paper expectations outlined above will be enforced should you choose a different topic.