PSC 341 - Governmental Society

three credits
A survey of the political issues and policies relating to the federal secrecy system and the individual agencies within it, such as the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, and National Security Agency. Major topic areas include classification and declassification systems, rights to privacy, national secrecy, and proposed changes and reforms. The balance between secrecy and the public right to know in a democratic system is a primary focus, and legal processes for citizens to obtain information are explored: Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, administrative and legal challenges to government withholding of information regarding both individual files and topics concerning political/historical events.