Research Guides: Emergency Services: Homeland Security

Introduction to Homeland Security

Before you start searching for articles, think of your specific research question and the main ideas you plan to write about. This will help you identify search terms to use in the databases and make your search process more efficient.

If you search for "homeland security" in a database, you'll find thousands of articles on a wide variety of homeland security topics. To focus on your unique research needs, use additional search terms relevant to your interests. Think about...

Do I want to learn about a subtopic within homeland security, such as counterterrorism, international relations, or government regulation?
Do I want to focus on how a homeland security concept relates to a specific demographic, like a race, religion, or specific gender identity?
Do I want to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention?

Once you've identified the main ideas you plan to research, combine your search terms using AND to create a search string you can use in a database. Make sure that all phrases have quotation marks. For example:

counterterrorism and "cyber intelligence" and "United States"
surveillance and "civil rights"

Databases

Use the following databases to find articles about homeland security. While these databases primarily include scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, they may also include other types of sources such as dissertations, book reviews, and magazine articles. Use the database filters to limit your results to just the type of sources you need.

ABI/INFORM Collection [ProQuest] This link opens in a new window
Partially peer reviewed. Full-text content.
Covers economics, business, accounting, management, and related subjects. Includes academic journals, trade publications, company annual reports, dissertations, and working papers, plus country profiles and economic forecasts.
Military and Intelligence [Gale] This link opens in a new window
Partially peer reviewed. Some full-text content.
Dedicated to past and present military affairs, such as government policies, the socioeconomic impacts of war, and the armed forces’ structure. Offers authoritative periodical content, magazines, and reports.
JSTOR [ITHAKA] This link opens in a new window
Partially peer reviewed. Some full-text content.
This multidisciplinary database includes subjects like literature, history, art, sociology, psychology, mathematics, communication, and science. Contains ebooks, articles, and journals.
ScienceDirect Journals [Elsevier] This link opens in a new window
Peer reviewed. Some full-text content.
Focuses on the life sciences, physical sciences, medical sciences, and technology, with access to scientific, technical, and medical research. Includes journal articles, book chapters, and publications.
Homeland Security Digital Library [HSDL] This link opens in a new window
Partially peer reviewed. Full-text content.
This is the nation's premier database for homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management. Features documents from nonprofits, research centers, and universities, as well as international, federal, state, and local governments.

Journals

The following are recommended homeland security journals. Following an individual journal is a great way to keep up with the latest research in your field! Once you click on a link, you'll arrive at the landing page for the publication. Click on one of the links under Full Text Access to see issues of or articles from the publication.

Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
An international, peer-reviewed journal that acts as a forum for those around the world undertaking high-quality research and practice in the areas of: policing studies, intelligence studies, terrorism and counter-terrorism studies; and cyber-policing.
Critical Studies on Terrorism
Critical Studies on Terrorism is an international, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal. The journal seeks to publish quality research on all aspects of terrorism, counter-terrorism, and state terror.
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
Includes original articles, and theoretical and empirical studies on the causes of conflicts, their motivations and their forms, ethnic and religious conflicts, and conflicts of the 1990s as they are now being waged in varying degrees of intensity in the world today.
Terrorism & Political Violence
Focuses on the political meaning of terrorist activity, and studies various related forms of violence by rebels and by states, on the links between political violence and organized crime, protest, rebellion, revolution, and human rights.
Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression
Includes peer-reviewed coverage of terrorism from a behavioral science perspective, encompassing biological, evolutionary, developmental, ecological, personality, social, military, and neuroscience approaches to psychology.
Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict
Includes original papers and reviews that contribute to understanding conflicts between states and non-state challengers.

Books and Ebooks

Homeland Security: Selected Congressional Issues and Appropriations (Ebook) by Malcolm Leonard Moreno
Publication Date: 2016
In 2001, in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, "homeland security" went from being a concept discussed among a relatively small cadre of policymakers and strategic thinkers to a broadly discussed issue in Congress. This book outlines an array of homeland security issues that may come before the 114th Congress. It provides a brief discussion of the definitions of homeland security, the homeland security budget, and the role of homeland security actors in the intelligence community.
Homeland Security: Perceptions, Threats and Challenges (Ebook) by Winston Davidson
Publication Date: 2017
This book discusses how President Trump organized his security, border enforcement strategy, crisis communication, case studies of people who have fallen on the wrong side of the security services, and dispels three myths about homeland security.
Homeland Security: A Complete Guide (Ebook) by Sauter, Mark
Publication Date: 2012
This definitive guide to Homeland Security is updated with critical changes in the department's mission, tactics, and strategies. It provides the most comprehensive coverage available on anti-terrorism intelligence, maritime security, and border security updates include recent changes in the structure of the Homeland Security department, its new role in natural disaster response, and new strategies and analytical tools.
Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism Prevention and Emergency Management (Print Book) by David A. McEntire
Publication Date: 2018
Introduces readers to the world of homeland security and provides them with up-to-date information on recent attacks, new terrorist threats, visible terrorist organizations, current dilemmas, updated research, and best practices. This book provides comprehensive coverage of issues relating to terrorism, terrorist behavior, homeland security policies, and emergency management.
Another Kind of War (Print Book) by John A. Lynn
Publication Date: 2019
An accessible and comprehensive history of terrorism from ancient times to the present. Lynn distinguishes between the paralyzing effect of fear and the potentially dangerous and chaotic effects of moral outrage and righteous retaliation guiding counterterrorism efforts and traces the evolution of terrorism over time, exposing its constants and contrasts.
Defenseless under the Night (Print Book) by Matthew Dallek
Publication Date: 2016
Matthew Dallek reveals the dramatic history behind America's first federal office of homeland security, tracing the debate about the origins of national vulnerability to the rise of fascist threats during the Roosevelt years. Through the history of the OCD, Dallek examines constitutional questions about civil liberties, the role and power of government propaganda, the depth of militarization of civilian life, the quest for a wartime New Deal, and competing liberal visions for American national defense—questions that are still relevant today.
Politics of Terror: The U.S. Response to 9/11 (Ebook) by William J. Crotty (Editor)
Publication Date: 2016
In this timely work, a team of experts addresses the question of how a democracy faces the challenge of balancing legitimate homeland security concerns against the rights and freedoms of its citizens. They evaluate the measures introduced in the aftermath of 9/11 and assess the far-reaching consequences of those changes for American politics and society.
Fundamentals of Homeland Security (Ebook) by John W. Ellis
Publication Date: 2014
The mission, authority, organization, role, function, and the fundamental terminology that affects homeland security in the United States is examined in this book. The author focuses on the five core missions of homeland security: preventing terrorism, securing borders, enforcing immigration law, safeguarding cyber systems, and ensuring resilience to disasters.

Finding Books

This list is only a starting point of commonly used books in this area, not a complete list of library books on the subject. To find other books on this subject, use the search box on the library's homepage. To find other books on this subject, use the search box on the library's homepage. The search box defaults to OneSearch. To look for books, toggle over to Books. This will limit your search to books and ebooks.

Finding Books: UVU Fulton Library Homepage
Use the search box on the library's homepage to search for more books. Enter a few search terms, a title, or an author into the box, then hit enter or click the magnifying glass. Once your search runs, you can filter your results by clicking the All Filters button, located just below the search box.

Web Resources

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
The official website of the CDC. Includes information about diseases and conditions, healthy living, and emergency preparedness.
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.
Central Intelligence Agency - Library
The CIA releases millions of pages of documents each year and frequently releases items of public interest on this website. The Library contains a wealth of information, from unclassified current publications to basic references, reports and maps.
Data.gov
Open data available from the US Government. Here you will find data, tools, and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more.
Defense Technical Information Center
DTIC's mission is to aggregate and fuse science and technology data to rapidly, accurately and reliably deliver the knowledge needed to develop the next generation of technologies to support our Warfighters and help assure national security.
Department of Defense (DoD)
The official website of the US Department of Defense.
Department of Homeland Security
The official website of the Department of Homeland Security. Contains information about border security, cybersecurity, news, media, and more.
Department of Homeland Security Websites
A list of the major operational components that currently make up the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
"FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters, and our guiding principles help us achieve it."—from the website
Federation of American Scientists
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) provides science-based analysis of and solutions to protect against catastrophic threats to national and international security. Specifically, FAS works to reduce the spread and number of nuclear weapons, prevent nuclear and radiological terrorism, promote high standards for nuclear energy’s safety and security, illuminate government secrecy practices, as well as prevent the use of biological and chemical weapons.
Homeland Security Digital Library
The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) is the nation’s premier collection of documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management.
House Committee on Homeland Security
Includes information about House Committee on Homeland Security members, hearings, bills they introduce and pass, and news on oversight efforts.
Public Safety and Homeland Security
As the FCC's primary expert on public safety and homeland security matters, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) promotes the public’s access to reliable 911, emergency alerting, and first responder communications.

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