Daniel E. Levenson Reviews Deepfakes by Graham Meikle, Polity Press, 2023
The true threat at the heart of generative AI may lie not in the erosion of our ability to determine whether any one discrete image or video is real or not, but in finding ourselves in a place in which all norms around communication and our capability to navigate digital spaces have been completely undermined. It is not a pretty future, but it is one for which we must prepare, and Meikle’s book is a good place to start.
By Daniel E. Levinson
Nowhere to Run to, Nowhere to Hide: Disasters, Preparedness, and the Shadow of State Failure on U.S. Islands
I proffer that island residents’ very vulnerability, caused by geographic realities and their real or perceived exposure to hazards that are concomitant with state failure, triggers action to increase resiliency via shelter-in-place mitigation actions.
By Chris Ellis
National Security Competition or Cooperation Preparing for 21st Century Threats
The article analyzes problems stemming from a lack of effective planning and coordination between the Emergency Management community and the military in the event of a major war with a peer or near-peer competitor.
By Robert J. Roller
New, Old, and Reconfigured: Exploring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Path to Climate Security
This article examines the extent to which DHS and several of its component agencies have integrated climate security into their missions
By Jeremiah O. Asaka and Magdalena M. Denham
From the CHDS Theses Executive Summaries

Outstanding Thesis Award Winner, March 2023
Laundering Love: A Multi-Case Analysis of the Evolution of Romance Scam Victims into Co-Offending Money Mules
“Honey this our opportunity to be together mylove, i will never do anything that will hurt you, mylove noting bad is going to happen, i promise the money there is my money and its legit money and i trust you that is why you my beneficiary” (AS1 to AV1.1, August 2020). This text message, taken from historical communications between an offender and victim in a romance scam, illustrates the type of narrative offenders use to justify transferring money through victims’ bank accounts. When victims participate, they act as “money mules” and help launder funds from other frauds. According to FBI reporting, romance scams result in significant financial harm to individuals, with losses approaching $1 billion in 2021. The fact that offenders groom money mules from among romance scam victims exacerbates the danger these scams pose.
By Christopher Huhn
Global Pandemics are Extinction-level Events and Should not be Coordinated Solely through National or Jurisdictional Emergency Management
This article will make the case that global pandemics should not be in the planning, organization, equipping, training, and exercising responsibilities solely for emergency management entities – they need to be managed through a whole-of-government/whole-community approach using other management techniques.
By Michael Prasad
Examining Trends, Impacts, Drivers, and Policy Implications of Active School Shooter Incidents: A Research Overview
This essay reviews recently published academic research on active shooter incidents, with a focus on school shootings. To better understand the gaps in existing research, it is necessary to examine the trends, drivers, impacts, and policy implications of active shooter incidents.
By Mollie Mercado
Incorporating Disability, Accessibility, and Functional Needs Populations in Hospital Emergency Planning: A New York City Case Study
This essay seeks to explore the gap in healthcare emergency planning that exists when considering Disability, Access, and Functional Needs (DAFN) populations.
By Rosemary McDonnell