21334 research outputs found
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Assessing the Benefits of Simulations and War Games for the Homeland Security Enterprise Workforce
No full textIn recent years, there has been great interest across government, academia, and the private sector in experiential learning, and in particular the use of simulation and game-based methodologies. The purpose of this project is to use rigorous social science research to assess the educational value of simulation-based experiential learning and provide a replicable evaluation model that allows for validation and extension by other scholars and practitioners.
This report helps to fill the gaps in understanding the specific educational and training advantages offered by games, as well as the best practices for employing games to train or educate members of the homeland security enterprise (HSE).
This project utilized a homeland security-focused game developed by Valens Global/Valens Games, called Acceleration, in a stand-alone half-semester-long class at Duke University. Students in the class were divided into teams representing both governmental and non-state actors. To interact with the game world, teams submitted moves, undertook negotiations to advance their interests, and received information about the outcome of these actions in an updated information environment on a weekly basis. The project examined three iterations of Acceleration over two semesters, played by a total of 66 students
Homegrown: U.S. Federal Cases Against ISIS
No full textThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a transnational Salafi-jihadist terrorist group, designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) by the U.S. Department of State. Since 2014 when the leader of ISIS declared the global caliphate, 263 individuals have been federally charged with ISIS-related crimes in U.S. courts. Since ISIS is a designated FTO, most cases (72.6%) involving ISIS-related activity are resolved using the material support to terrorism statute. This brief summarizes the scope of federal court cases related to ISIS in the U.S. since 2014
Examining the Malign Use of AI: A Case Study Report
No full textCross-cutting themes were derived from a survey of 10 recent cases showing how malicious actors exploit artificial intelligence (AI)—including chatbots, generative media, and AI‑assisted weapons—to enable violence, fraud, harassment, and influence operations. Researchers conducted comparative case studies that describe what happened, how AI was used, why it worked, and what practitioners should do. Important findings include that generative AI has sharply lowered barriers to propaganda, social engineering, and weapon generation; women and public figures are disproportionately targeted by deepfakes; state and non‑state actors use AI to manipulate voters; and semi‑autonomous systems raise ethical and accountability concerns. The work informs concrete mitigation steps for DHS operators across counterterrorism, cyber, election security, and victim protection
Risk Factors in Terrorist Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems: Rapid Review B
No full textUnmanned aerial systems (UAS; drones) are giving terrorists and other malign actors new ways to bypass ground‑based security and exploit the air domain. This rapid review synthesizes open sources and incident data to identify where, why, and how UAS could be used against U.S. people and places. The team conducted a literature review and a descriptive data analysis to map targeting patterns and spatial vulnerabilities. Key findings include: (1) UAS enable remote surveillance and precision payload delivery; (2) open venues and exposed building features (e.g., glass façades, rooftops, HVAC intakes) are high‑risk; (3) critical infrastructure – especially energy, transportation, communications/IT, water, and defense – presents attractive, high‑impact targets; and (4) historical UAS attacks abroad have concentrated on strategic facilities while none have been recorded in the U.S. to date. Risk‑based counter‑UAS planning, detection, and public‑private coordination by DHS and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners can reduce exposure and prioritize protections where consequences would be most severe
Roots of Justice: A History of Race and Racism in Nebraska
No full textThere is much to understand about the history of Nebraska and how the past shapes the present. This book attempts to bring into clearer focus the triumphs and trials of five broad groups whose lives have often been overlooked when the state’s history is told. The authors know some of this history of racism firsthand: Most of them have lived as people of color in Nebraska. They’ve experienced “the good, the bad and the ugly” that makes up our state story. We encourage educators, scholars and family historians to continue to dig, to document and to tell these stories. And then to ask: How can we best acknowledge the racism that is part of our history? How might Nebraskans remedy the wrongs of the past and create a future in which racism is no longer a divisive issue? Can we imagine a culture in which differences and stereotypes do not rule the future for our children and grandchildren? How is it possible for all Nebraskans, through what organizations and institutions, to work for the common good in Nebraska? May this history compel us all to imagine a better future – and then to take action to make it happen!--From the Foreword by Bill Arfmann
Introduction by M. Dewayne Mays and Paul A. Olson, Native Americans I by Gabriel Bruguier, Native Americans II by Kevin Abourezk, African Americans — A History of African Americans in Nebraska by Preston Love, Jr., with Adam Fletcher Sasse and Heather Fryer, Latinos — Voices of Latinidad: A Truth and Reconciliation Movement to Preserve Latino and Latina History by J.S. Onésimo (Ness) Sándoval, Asian Americans — Exclusion from the Good Life: The Impact of Anti-Asian Racism on Asian Nebraskans by Heather Fryer and Sharon Ishii-Jordan, Recent Arrivals: Refugee Resettlement in Nebraska by Emira Ibrahimpašić and Julia Reillyhttps://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/blackstudiesfacbooks/1004/thumbnail.jp
Hermeneutical Priming and Linguistic Hijacking in the God’s Not Dead series
No full textIn this paper, I analyze the evangelical Christian film series God\u27s Not Dead. I argue that the film series functions as Christian Nationalist propaganda through its rhetoric and aesthetic choices. I then develop two forms of epistemic manipulation that the film uses to fulfill its propagandistic function: hermeneutical priming and linguistic hijacking. I suggest that the film series\u27 use of these rhetorical strategies highlights some of the ways that evangelical Christian cinema is engaging with rising right-wing political movements and developing unique evangelical imaginations
Teaching Copyright Beyond Campus: Academic Librarians at Pop Culture Conventions
No full textAcademic librarianship has long emphasized campus-based instruction, but transformative learning opportunities often emerge beyond the classroom. This article explores how two librarians extended copyright education into the unconventional setting of multigenre pop culture conventions. Originally developed for faculty, their workshops were redesigned to meet the needs of artists, cosplayers, small business owners, and independent creators seeking practical, legally grounded information about copyright, fair use, and intellectual property. Drawing from real-world interactions, iterative feedback, and instructional theory—including a revised “Informative Avocado” model—the authors describe how their outreach not only empowered new learner communities, but also revitalized their own teaching practices. The article argues that getting creative with finding new audiences for instruction can deepen pedagogical insight and reconnect librarianship with public service, offering a blueprint for reinvigorating outreach through experimentation, responsiveness, and reengagement
