Corey Hoydic
October 24, 2014
ENGL137H: Keyword Outline for Paradigm Shift
I. Introduction
A. Hook: America: the land of the free and the home of the brave. That is what we all
believed until that fateful day on September 11: the day that our nation realized that it
was mortal.
B. Background information – very basic, known to almost all
1. September 11 attacks by Al ’Qaeda: World Trade Center, Pentagon
a. Nearly 3,000 deaths
b. $10 billion in damage
2. National attitudes toward defense and security would change the future of the
nation
C. Thesis Statement (HIGHLY in progress)
1. The September 11 attacks caused a national shift to a new paradigm, where the
United States as a whole saw a reawakened threat perception that had been
suppressed since the Cold War, resulting in various changes to national security*.
*National security will be better worded and established throughout paper,
more effective thesis.
2. Thesis Subtopics (Changes regarding national security; previous paradigms)
a. An optimistic outlook prior to 9/11 was drastically shattered: such a
sudden shift in attitudes caused unprecedented change.
b. A newly awakened fear: The Patriot Act
c. Feelings of unease and fear lead to action: examining contemporary air
travel.
D. Purpose
1. Examining how paradigm shifts often arise from catastrophe
2. Change for the better often requires a catalyst
II. Awakened Threat Perception
A. George W. Bush: 9/11 is a new war for a new era; James Schlesinger : “What
has changed domestically is a new and different focus and a rebirth of national unity,
which could prove transitory”
B. Post-Cold-War-era paradigm
1. Disappearance of Soviet threat led to disappearance of concern for homeland
security
2. Low threats and focus on economic policy
C. 9/11 shift: optimistic outlook of the 1990s was shattered as Americans were uncertain
about their nation’s safety
1. Gave way to the war on terrorism, change in foreign policy, and what we will
focus on – homeland security in the United States
III. The paradigm shift: fear causes change
A. The Patriot Act
1. Overwhelming support – passed easily in Congress
2. More than 1,900 private companies and 1,200 government organizations work
to counter terrorism
3. U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service
a. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies shifted from prosecution to
prevention
i. Intelligence information collected – unease toward government
(will elaborate later in reference to tourism, immigration, etc)
b. Paradigm required the nation to realize that legal changes worked to
preserve our civil liberties and freedom
IV. A Case Study: Contemporary Air Travel
A. We always hear how easy it was to just “hop on an airplane” back in the day
1. Aviation and Transportation Security Act – created the TSA
a. Strict guidelines on passenger screening and luggage
b. Contrasting attitudes of safety, while debate on right violation arises
i. Modern debate: what is the price we pay for safety?
2. Airplanes changed
a. Fortified cockpit doors
b. Airline captains can apply to carry a gun
V. Post 9/11 paradigm shift: a recap and conclusion
A. Reawakened a threat perception that had been dormant for many years
B. Attitudes of unease led to change in government policy and homeland security
C. Commercial airfare and new means of gathering intelligence serve to both bolster
security and raise new concerns and fears: are our rights violated? (I do not hit on this
point much in the outline, but discussing it more in my second and third body paragraphs
will give me the opportunity to bring it up in the conclusion…a point that will resonate
and give the audience a chance to answer the question for themselves.)
D. The land of the free and home of the brave learned that there is a price to pay for
freedom
1. In the post-9/11 quest for unity and safety, we must all put faith in our country,
yet let our voices be known; finding a safe medium where safety is guaranteed
without violating or infringing upon our rights will serve to be a continuing
challenge for the unforeseeable future