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David H. Schanzer, Professor of the Practice and Director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security  

Office Location: 136 Rubenstein Hall, Terry Sanford School of Public, Durham, NC 27708
Duke Box: 90250
Email Address: schanzer@duke.edu

Areas of Expertise

  • National Security and Defense
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Homeland Security
    • Privacy and Civil Liberties
    • Terrorism & Bioterrorism

Education:
J.D., Harvard University, 1989
J.D., cum laude, Harvard Law School, 1989
Editor, Harvard Law Review, 1987
A.B., cum laude, Harvard University, 1985

Research Categories: Terrorism, national security policy and law, homeland security, emergency preparedness & response

Research Description: Strategies and policies for combatting international and domestic terrorism

Teaching (Spring 2024):

  • Pubpol 290-2.01, Selected public policy topics Synopsis
    Sanford 04, Tu 07:30 PM-10:00 PM
  • Pubpol 590-1.01, Adv top in public policy Synopsis
    Sanford 04, Tu 07:30 PM-10:00 PM

Office Hours:
Wednesdays, 1:30-3:30

Representative Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Schanzer, DH. A sensible debate about radical Islam.  Atlanta Journal Constitution (February, 2011). [repository]
  2. Schanzer, DH. "Islamaphobia is threatening America," Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  August, 2010.  (also published in the Baltimore Sun, the Durham Herald Sun, and Newark Star Ledger.)
  3. D.H. Schanzer, C. Kurzman, E. Moosa.. ""Anti Terror Lessons of Muslin Americans"."  2010 [Article]
  4.  America At Risk: Closing the Security Gap.  2010. [online]
  5. Schanzer, DH. Policy on terror trials in need of an overhaul.  Philadelphia Inquirer (March, 2010). [repository]
  6. D.H. Schanzer, J.E. Eyerman. ""Improving Strategic Risk Management at the Department of Homeland Security." IBM Center for the Business of Government Magazine." (Spring, 2010). [online]
  7. Schanzer, DH; Eyerman, JE. "Improving Strategic Risk Management at the Department of Homeland Security." IBM Center for the Business of Government (2010). (IBM Center for the Business of Government - [strategic-risk-management-government-look-homeland-security) [improving-strategic-risk-management-department-homeland-security]
  8.  Winning the War on Terror.  2010.
  9. D.H. Schanzer. Take a Hard Look Before Spending Billions on Security Technology.  Durham Herald Sun (January 2, 2010). [Article]
  10.  Transforming the Southern Border: Providing Security & Prosperity in the Post 9/11 World.  2010. [online]
  11. D.H. Schanzer, S. Ludington, W. Visscher. ""Final Report - Report of the Privacy Subject Matter Experts Panel on the Violent Intent Modeling and Simulation Program."."  June, 2009
  12. Schanzer, DH. "Book Review: "Open Target: Where America Is Vulnerable to Terrorist Attack by Clark Kent Ervin"." Survival 48.2 (Summer, 2006): 165-172. [repository]
  13. Schanzer, DH. Time for intelligence interrogations.  Raleigh News and Observer (May, 2010). [repository]
  14. Schanzer, DH. "Hurricane Katrina: Anatomy of a Disaster." The Optimist 1.7 (January, 2006). [repository]
  15. Schanzer, DH. We must work with Muslim-Americans.  St. Petersburg Times (January, 2010). [repository]
  16. Schanzer, DH. The War on Terror: A Fifth Year Status Report.  Carolina Banker (Winter, 2005). [repository]
  17. Schanzer, DH. Shedding light, not heat, on torture.  Raleigh News and Observer (May, 2009). [repository]
  18. Schanzer, DH. "Case Note: Supreme Court - Leading Cases: Lyng v. UAW." Harvard L. Rev. 242 (1988).
  19. Schanzer, DH. Cheney's misfiring security critique.  Raleigh News and Observer (April, 2009). [repository]
  20. Schanzer, DH. Closing the Doors on GITMO.  Philadelphia Inquirer(also printed in the Raleigh, News & Observer, Oct. 20). (October, 2008). [repository]
  21. D.H. Schanzer. "Words for Evildoers".  "Raleigh News & Observer, (also printed in the Newark Star Ledger) (May 23, 2008). [Article]
  22. Schanzer, DH. The Meddling Media.  Raleigh News and Observer (January, 2008). [repository]
  23. Schanzer, DH. The distorted ethics of kiss and tell.  Durham Herald Sun (June, 2008). [repository]
  24. Schanzer, DH. Capture won't snuff al-Qaeda.  Raleigh News and Observer (September, 2007). [repository]
  25. Schanzer, DH. "Why America Is Losing to al-Qaida,".  Baltimore Herald Sun,(also published in Durham Herald Sun., Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, New Jersey Star Ledger) (print). (July, 2007).
  26. Schanzer, DH. If we were serious about ports' security.  Raleigh News and Observer (February, 2006). [repository]
  27. D.H. Schanzer. Blunt Threats Now a Credible Option.  News and Observer (December 17, 2006). [online] [Article] [abs]
  28. Schanzer, DH. Data Analysis With Safeguards.  South Florida Sun Sentinel, New Jersey Star-Ledger(also published in South Florida Sun Sentinel, New Jersey Star-Ledger). (June, 2006). [repository]
  29. Schanzer, DH. "FEMA’s Home,".  Raleigh News & Observer,(also published in Des Moines Register, New Orleans Times Picayune). (May, 2006).
  30. Schanzer, DH. Strategies for the Struggle Against Terror.  Raleigh News & Observer, (also published in Newark Star-Ledger, Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, and quoted in Detroit Free Press) (September, 2006).
  31. Schanzer, DH. Oct. 15, The Forgotten Bioterror Anniversary.  St. Paul Pioneer Press (2005). (also published in the Raleigh News & Observer, Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
  32. Schanzer, DH. Homeland Security must learn from this.  Raleigh News and Observer (September, 2005). (also published in Contra Costa Times and St. Paul Pioneer Press) [repository]
  33. Schanzer, DH; Hayden, CD. A Force To Deal With Disasters.  Raleigh News & Observer (2006).
  34. Schanzer, DH. Detect bombs, not scissors.  Raleigh News and Observer (December, 2005). (also published in Securityinforwatch.com) [repository]

Curriculum Vitae

Highlight:
David Schanzer is a professor of the practice at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy University and director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security. He teaches courses, conducts research and engages in public dialogue on counterterrorism strategy, counterterrorism law and homeland security.

Schanzer is the lead author of a trilogy National Institute of Justice studies on terrorism prevention: “Engaging Communities to Prevent Violent Extremism: A Review of the Obama Administration’s CVE Initiative,” (2019), “The Challenge and Promise of Using Community Policing Strategies to Prevent Violent Extremism” (2015) and “Anti-Terror Lessons of Muslim Americans” (2010).

Prior to his academic appointments, Schanzer was the Democratic staff director for the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security from 2003 to 2005. He previously served as the legislative director for Sen. Jean Carnahan (2001-2002), counsel to Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (1996-1998), and counsel to Sen. William S. Cohen (1994-1996).

His positions in the executive branch include special counsel, Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense (1998-2001) and trial attorney, United States Department of Justice (1992-94). Schanzer was a clerk for U.S. District Judge Norma L. Shapiro and in the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States.

Schanzer is a graduate of Harvard College where he received an A.B. cum laude in government in 1985 and of Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review from 1987-1989.

Schanzer has appeared on international, national and local radio and television discussing terrorism and homeland security and is the author of more than 70 op-ed articles on these subjects that have appeared in newspapers around the country and on-line. He created two free “massive open on-line courses” – Understanding 9/11 and Responding to 9/11 – on the Coursera platform that have been used by approximately 25,000 people around the globe. Currently, he writes about challenges facing modern democracies on his Substack newsletter -- Perilous Times.

In 2023, he was awarded the Richard Stubbing Memorial Teaching and Mentorship Award for outstanding contributions to the graduate programs at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy.

 

Bio/Profile
David Schanzer is an associate professor of the practice at Duke University and director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security, a research consortium between Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and RTI International. In these capacities, he teaches courses on counterterrorism strategy, counterterrorism law and homeland security.

He also serves as the director for strategy and outreach for the Institute of Homeland Security Solutions, a North Carolina-based research consortium focused on applied social science research for homeland security.

Schanzer is the lead author of a widely cited National Institute of Justice study on domestic radicalization – “Anti-Terror Lessons of Muslim Americans” (2010) – and a report on “Improving Strategic Risk Management at the Department of Homeland Security,” published by the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

Prior to his academic appointments, Schanzer was the Democratic staff director for the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security from 2003 to 2005. He previously served as the legislative director for Sen. Jean Carnahan (2001-2002), counsel to Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (1996-1998), and counsel to Sen. William S. Cohen (1994-1996).

His positions in the executive branch include special counsel, Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense (1998-2001) and trial attorney, United States Department of Justice (1992-94). Schanzer was a clerk for U.S. District Judge Norma L. Shapiro and in the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States.

Schanzer is a graduate of Harvard College where he received an A.B. cum laude in government in 1985 and of Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review from 1987-1989. Schanzer has appeared on international, national and local radio and television discussing terrorism and homeland security and is the author of more than 20 op-ed articles on these subjects that have appeared in newspapers around the country.

David H. Schanzer