National Security Law (LAW-635-001)
Jennifer Daskal
Notices
Assessment: In-class exam, open book; In-class exam, essay questions; In-class exam, multiple choice questions; Class participation; Current event briefings to the class; response papers to the readings
Description
In this course, we will study, discuss, and debate some of the most contested – and continuously evolving – set of questions about the role of the state, the inherent tensions between protecting the nation’s security and protecting individual liberty, and the search for a balance that ultimately maximize both. Specifically, we will study the claimed authority of the state to kill, detain, prosecute, and surveil in protecting national security – focusing primarily on the U.S. response to the terrorist threat since September 11, 2001, but at times looking back in time or across the ocean to gain a broader perspective as well. Consistent with this approach, the class is divided into three main sections: one on uses of lethal force, one on detention and prosecution, and one on surveillance. We will read a range of materials, including cases, commentary, executive orders, speeches, and statutes. We also will supplement these materials with a discussion of relevant current events, and I expect and encourage you to follow the news and to familiarize yourself with blogs such as Lawfare (http://www.lawfareblog.com/) and Just Security (http://justsecurity.org/) that both analyze and report on policy debates of relevance to the issues dealt with in this seminar.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
First Class Readings
Not available at this time.