Liberty and Security in the Age of Terrorism

About the Book

National security is not an end in itself, but the precondition of an end more valuable: Americans’ common enjoyment of the “Blessings of Liberty.” The appropriateness of measures designed to defeat enemies abroad and ensure domestic tranquility must, therefore, be evaluated in light of the end for the sake of which they are deployed lest our ardor for security erode the liberties our constitutional regime exists above all to protect. At what point is one further increment of security not worth its cost—in terms of resources expended, privacy surrendered, rights infringed upon, and principles betrayed? Calibrating security policy in the age of international terrorism is a difficult task. A theoretical understanding of our regime and its purposes, no less than a prudential assessment of the threats that exist to it today, is more important than ever. Liberty and Security in the Age of Terrorism grew out of the inaugural conference of the Commonwealth Security Studies Laboratory in the College of Business and Public Affairs at Morehead State University that was devoted to these themes. As such, it is a book that will be of interest to those concerned with the preservation, protection, and defense of our common way of life.

About the Author

Murray S. Y. Bessette is an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the School of Public Affairs at Morehead State University, specializing in homeland security and political theory. Dr. Bessette also serves as Coordinator for the undergraduate Government program, as well as Director for the Commonwealth Security Studies Laboratory. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in political philosophy and national security, Dr. Bessette has published several book chapters, articles, and reviews on the subjects of the crisis of the West, the nature of judicial power, interrogation, sovereignty, and public administration. In 2013, Dr. Bessette will serve as the President of the Kentucky Political Science Association.