CLA-II The Changing Role of Civilians in Civil Defense

The second part of this course series will expand on the introductory course by looking at how the need for civilians in civil defense roles has changed from early Colonial militias to a broader focus on emergency management. We will read historical accounts of civilians in emergencies from the 1700s to the modern day. The latter portion of this course shall focus on emergency management scenarios from commonplace to speculative fiction in order to stress our understanding of morality and law. While CLA-I is primarily instructional, CLA-II is seminar-style and focuses on discussion and role-playing.

Warning: This course deals with controversial and emotionally-charged topics. Emergency volunteers, by their nature, are employed in difficult, sometimes horrific, circumstances which probe at the edges of our social order. Disasters bring out the very best and very worst of people. This course aims to help prepare volunteers to deal frankly with these issues and act in a leadership role when other people may not be acting rationally.