In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States government continues to focus on further developing defensive strategies to protect cities from the threat of political violence. Now commonly known as "homeland security," these new governmental initiatives altered the physical terrain of the city through a wide range of defensive tactics rooted in military doctrine. This doctoral research project will focus on two primary research questions: 1) How have military planning tactics been or not been incorporated into federal planning guidance for the protection of urban infrastructure since 11 September 2001, and how has this affected urban planning and people in Lower Manhattan? 2) How have residents of Lower Manhattan been included or excluded from this process, and what are the implications for city-level planning and governance? The researcher will investigate the post-11 September culture of security from two main standpoints: security planning at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and urban planning in Lower Manhattan. Research at both the federal and city level will involve in-depth interviews with those bureaucrats responsible for the design and implementation of their respective plans. Interviews will address both individual and institutional perspectives on urban security planning. Qualitative data analysis will analyze the interaction between the federal security apparatus and city planning systems in a specific geographic setting.
This study is a geographical, institutionally-based analysis of the post-11 September culture of security. It focuses on the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), which serves as DHS' main policy initiative for the protection of urban infrastructure and populations. Designed to defend cities against terrorism, the UASI relies partially on strategies and tactics developed by the Department of Defense for the protection of military installations. Within the urban social system, these plans now connect federal security initiatives with the everyday life of U.S. cities, raising serious questions about their impact within a non-military, civilian environment. In short, current approaches to defending cities must incorporate the expertise of academics and practitioners with expertise in urban planning, urban governance, and urban systems. These more inclusive analyses would enable today's terrorism-centric planning frameworks to be improved and extended based on the tenets of societal security. This study also provides an opportunity for a former Army Officer with expertise in military operations and homeland security planning to critically investigate the emerging gap between community development and urban security. In a larger sense, this is also a study of how state security sets the agenda for local-level practitioners and communities, how governance and planning become affected by federal security policy, and what lessons can be learned to foster a more equitable and sustainable framework for implementation in New York and other U.S. cities. Herein is the uniqueness and contribution of this study, as it will reveal key lessons learned that can assist with future community based efforts in cities where federal security strategies operate, as well as providing findings that will enhance current urban and social theory. The Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Award will also provide support to enable a promising student to continue public service through independent research.
