An advanced analytical examination of emergency management, including mitigation (designing programs to reduce the risk to vulnerable targets/infrastructure), preparedness (response planning and training, particularly interagency and intergovernmental agreements on joint operations and burden sharing), response (actual operations during and after a terrorist attack or natural disaster) and recovery (maintaining services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and the long term). Through discussions of theory and numerous case studies, students will be able to identify and investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the current practice of emergency management in the U.S.