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Five years after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, two Pepperdine professors are still emphasizing the effects of the brutality.
Dan Caldwell and Robert Williams, both political science professors, published a book last month on the importance of security in the United States, particularly following Sept. 11.
The formal launch for “Seeking Security in an Insecure World” will be on Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. in Raitt Recital Hall and admission is free.
U.S. Ambassador David Aaron, former deputy national security advisor, will comment on the book. Attendees will have the opportunity to question Caldwell and Williams.
“Seeking Security in an Insecure World” rolled off the presses in December by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc. and is now available for purchase.
The book focuses on giving its readers a brief introduction to contemporary security studies. Caldwell and Williams planned to gear the book toward an academic audience, but the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center caused them to reconsider.
“Security issues have taken on a greater relevance since 9/11, so we decided to write the book for a general audience,” Caldwell said.
“The project took on another shape for us,” Williams said. “There were issues we thought needed to be presented.”
Though the book will be used in international relations classes at Pepperdine and in some graduate classes, the authors suggest that the general public will find it of use.
“It’s a very readable book,” Williams said. “It’s not filled with jargon.”
Caldwell said the book is the first volume to present an overview of security.
“There is no other book that surveys all of the threats that we face. As a nation the threats are not only toward the military, but also involve issues like environmental degradation and the economy.”
Williams said, “The book spotlights many of the world’s most vital issues and shows how they are all connected in some way.”
Williams explained one issue that is discussed in the volume.
“In this book one can discover the relationship between energy consumption and Middle Eastern public policy,” he said. “It is all part of a cycle that is really frightening.”
One of the chapters written by Caldwell is on cyber security and the role of tax on computers. The chapter explains the impact that lack of cyber security can have on the military, on international governments and on individuals because, “computers have been used maliciously by terrorists,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell and Williams met at Pepperdine more than 10 years ago. Caldwell, a distinguished professor of political science, has been teaching at Pepperdine since 1978 and Williams, an associate professor of political science, since 1992.
The writing process for “Seeking Security in an Insecure World” took several years.
“We worked on the book during the summer and on breaks,” Caldwell said. “As a professor it is difficult to find time to write a book during the school year. It requires hours of time.”
The professors finished the final editing in late July.
The book has already received positive reviews.
"In their new book ‘Seeking Security in an Insecure World’ Dan Caldwell and Robert Williams focus our attention on a diverse set of vital issues on global and national security agendas,” said Paul R. Viotti, Executive Director at the Institute on Globalization and Security. “The clear and concise treatment of this complexity by Caldwell and Williams makes ‘Seeking Security in an Insecure World” a must read.’”
The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com or the campus bookstore for $24.95.
Submitted 01-19-2006
MALIBU, CA
