Antiterrorism and the Separation of Powers: How Public Administration Theory Can Help Us Meet the New Security Challenge

While terrorism has never been a predictable phenomenon, addressing this problem in a proactive manner is becoming increasingly difficult. It requires that public servants engaged in securing the homeland constantly upgrade their knowledge, skills, and abilities. In this paper, I focus on two areas of administrative competency that need to be developed within our public servants in order for the US to successfully meet this challenge. First, I highlight the need for collaboration across agencies, sectors, and even nations in order to combat terrorism in a way that is both effective and legitimate in the public’s eyes. However, the public context of the terrorism problem requires those acting in the name of national security to ensure that their antiterrorism efforts comply with the requirements and protections of the Constitution. Second, then, I stress the need for those within the public service to have higher levels of constitutional competence so as to address the terrorism threat in a legally sustainable fashion. I conclude with a set of propositions that can help researchers and practitioners develop the broad foundation of knowledge that public administrators need to successfully administer the programs and policies that will help keep America safe.