NS4757 Media and Communications for Homeland Security Professionals

Offered through the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, this course offers a detailed overview and assessment of media and communications – both theory and practice - for homeland security professionals.  The course is grounded in media studies theory and seeks to bridge the gap between abstract framing concepts and the practical application of assessment and engagement techniques. Central themes include the relationships between and among the free press, public engagement, and homeland security; the utility of the internet for homeland security agencies as a tool to address challenges and threats; the impact of social media on the public sector, especially when deployed by adversaries to create confusion and undermine public confidence in government; the applicability of strategic communications, risk communications, and crisis communications techniques in different operating environments and when dealing with different audiences; and understanding and countering media elements of terrorism, information operations, and disinformation.

Prerequisite

NS3180, CS3660. Students are expected to have completed the core Introduction to Homeland Security core course (NS3180) and Critical Infrastructure Protection (CS3660) before enrolling in this course. The Media course builds upon core knowledge of homeland security law and practice, as well as foundational concepts of adversarial modeling and risk analysis introduced in Critical Infrastructure Protection (CS3660)

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

0

Course Learning Outcomes

• Analyze and map audience composition and receptivity to messaging by using a variety of methodologies that have practical applicability to public safety and homeland security communications efforts.
• Apply media theory concepts to consider how messaging strategies – to include engagement with journalists – can shape agency trust, credibility, and legitimacy among different constituencies.
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze and map the social media, entertainment, and press ecosystems (the so-called “media landscape”) vis a vis the public sector, and apply this knowledge to create practical and informative agency engagement plans based on this assessment.
• Demonstrate the ability to assess the impact of social media campaigns designed to undermine the morale, trust, credibility, and legitimacy of public sector agencies, and create response plans to mitigate the near- and long-term effects of these kinds of campaigns.
• Build upon students’ familiarity with Red/Blue attack-defend assessment methods to craft communications strategies that directly address risk and crisis conditions explored in the CHDS Critical Infrastructure Protection course.
• Clearly communicate media assessments and communications/engagement plans in written and oral formats.