The Patriot Act and Changes in the Discourse on Anti-Terrorism Legislation This essay is about the Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism piece of legislation passed by the United States government on October 26, 2011. The act was geared specifically towards the prevention of terrorist attacks similar to those of 9/11 that year, and granted new powers in terms of surveillance, indefinite detention of persons suspected of terrorist crimes as well as permission to search data financial, telephone and email documents without notice or court order. The law's status as an emergency piece of legislation, along with its focus on security, individual privacy rights, and control over personal information, have led it to become one of the most controversial pieces of U.S. legislation passed in the 21st century. This article will discuss the act along with these controversies. Specifically, it will use it as an example of what can be seen as a paradigm shift in UN responses to terrorism and a growing tension between counter-terrorism legislation and human rights groups. The act itself can be seen as a key point in shifting the international response to the September 11 attacks from complete support for the prevention of terrorism by any means necessary to an increasing focus on the preservation of humanity. The essay will also draw attention to small-scale domestic attempts to prevent the proliferation of measures perceived to threaten US civil liberties and values. By investigating both of these elements it will be argued that the Patriot Act can be understood as an essential reference point in the ongoing debates on the need for counter-te... changing the rhetoric and statements of international institutions such as the United Nations and paying attention to the projects of small-scale national laws intended to protect freedom of thought and expression within the United States itself. Reference works Dhanapala, Jayantha. 2005 “The United Nations response to 9/11”. Terrorism and political violence. 17. 17-23.Henderson, Nathan C. 2002. “The Impact of the Patriot Act on the Government's Ability to Conduct Electronic Surveillance of Ongoing Communications.” Duke Law Journal. 52. (1) 179-209. Weinberg Leonard et al. 2004. “The Challenges of Conceptualizing Terrorism.” Terrorism and political violence. 16 (4) 777-794.UN. Security Council Resolution 1368. 2001.UN. Security Council Resolution 1373. 2001.Sanders, Bernie. 2003 “The Patriot Act's Threat to Libraries.” American libraries. 34. (2) 32.