Abstract

Following the devastating attacks of 9/11, the U.S. Intelligence Community, or the IC, has made drastic changes within the United States in the name of national security. A major change the IC implemented was initiating constant electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens. This constant surveillance has instilled a growing divide between members of the public who do support government surveillance and those who do not. To assess this divide, an amateur survey was conducted on the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) campus that included participants of Homeland Security majors and students of other degree programs at the university. The purpose of this survey was to identify if there exists a difference between those who have had a background study on the IC and those who have not. The hypothesized results of this survey estimated that Homeland Security majors are to be more forgiving and defendant of the IC’s actions while students of other majors and colleges are less forgiving and more accusatory toward the IC of infracting on their privacy rights. Because this survey was conducted in an amateur manner and held several limitations, the data collected could only be analyzed through which what trends seem to occur. Thus, the data from this survey seems to support the original hypothesis, concluding that having background knowledge on the IC does seem to result in people being more supportive of its actions in the name of national security.

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 2021

Mentor

Brian K. Simpkins

Mentor Department Affiliation

Safety, Security, and Emergency Management

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Government

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Government and Economics

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

4114

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