Reference Infrastructure for Cortex, CTM, CivMMI, and First Foundation
This page defines each domain using a unified structure:
- Scope
- Boundaries (what it doesn’t include)
- Institutional Organs
- Stress Vectors (how the domain destabilizes)
- Sub-Domains (if any)
- Cross-Domain Interactions
These twelve domains are the minimal complete set needed to track, diagnose, and model complex civilizational stress during Crisis phases.
Executive Power & Rule of Law
Scope
Covers the behavior, authority, legitimacy, and constraints of the executive branch at federal, state, and local levels.
Boundaries
Not general governance (that’s Legislative & Electoral Governance).
Not public trust (that’s Civic Norms & Info Integrity).
This domain is strictly about power execution and constraint.
Institutional Organs
- The Presidency / Governor’s offices
- Federal agencies (DHS, DOJ, DoD, State Dept, etc.)
- Executive orders, emergency powers
- Inspector General system
- Federal law enforcement (FBI, Secret Service)
Stress Vectors
- Abuse of emergency authority
- Politicization of justice
- Executive defiance of court rulings
- Militarization of domestic policy
- Targeted retaliation against political opponents
Sub-Domains
- Emergency Powers
- Executive-Judicial Compliance
- Political Appointee Integrity
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Can trigger Federalism resistance
- Can destabilize Civil Liberties
- Drives Judicial domain overload
Federalism & State Resistance
Scope
Tracks tensions, conflicts, or breakdowns in the distribution of power between federal, state, and local governments.
Boundaries
Not about the executive or legislative behavior directly.
Not about general political disagreement — only structural power conflicts.
Institutional Organs
- State legislatures
- Attorneys general
- National Guard under dual authority
- Intergovernmental agreements
- Interstate compacts
Stress Vectors
- States refusing federal directives
- Preemption battles
- Sanctuary vs. anti-sanctuary policies
- National Guard command disputes
- Constitutional authority fights
Sub-Domains
- State Sovereignty Conflicts
- Federal Funding Retaliation
- Dual Militaries (Federal vs. State)
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Often ignited by Executive Power domain
- Impacts Election domain through jurisdictional battles
Judicial System & Legal Integrity
Scope
Tracks the health, independence, legitimacy, and functioning capacity of courts and legal adjudication systems.
Boundaries
Not general civil liberties — only the legal machinery.
Institutional Organs
- Federal courts, appellate courts, SCOTUS
- State courts
- Prosecutorial systems
- Bar associations
Stress Vectors
- Court-stripping or jurisdictional manipulation
- Backlogged dockets
- Selection of partisan judges
- Rule-of-law instability
- Selective prosecution
Sub-Domains
- Judicial Independence
- Legal Overload
- Constitutional Interpretation Regimes
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Often downstream from Executive Power
- Shapes Civil Liberties outcomes
Civil Liberties & Constitutional Guarantees
Scope
Freedom of speech, press, assembly, due process, privacy, bodily autonomy, voting rights.
Boundaries
Not about institutional behavior — about rights holders and their protections.
Institutional Organs
- Bill of Rights
- State constitutions
- Civil Rights Division of DOJ
- NGO watchdog groups
- Public defenders
Stress Vectors
- Mass surveillance
- Protest suppression
- Censorship mechanisms
- Restrictions on reproductive rights
- Voting restrictions
Sub-Domains
- Speech & Expression
- Bodily Autonomy
- Due Process
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Triggered by Executive overreach
- Dampens Social Cohesion when violated
Legislative & Electoral Governance
Scope
Tracks the functioning, legitimacy, and integrity of representative governance systems.
Boundaries
Not about rights (Civil Liberties)
Not about norms (Civic Norms & Integrity)
Strictly institutional processes.
Institutional Organs
- Congress, state legislatures
- Ballot access systems
- Election administration
- Redistricting mechanisms
- FEC and state equivalents
Stress Vectors
- Gerrymandering
- Legislative paralysis
- Partisan capture of election systems
- Electoral challenges and non-certification
- Shutdowns
Sub-Domains
- Electoral Integrity
- Legislative Productivity
- Mandate Stability
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Directly affects Social Cohesion
- Intersects with Executive domain through oversight
Civic Norms & Information Integrity
Scope
Public trust, shared reality, epistemic stability, misinformation, civic culture.
Boundaries
Not about legal protections (Civil Liberties).
Not about election systems.
This domain focuses on narrative and truth stability.
Institutional Organs
- Media ecosystems
- Social networks
- Academic institutions
- Fact-checking institutions
Stress Vectors
- Disinformation campaigns
- Collapse of shared facts
- Attacks on journalism
- Algorithmically-driven outrage
Sub-Domains
- Epistemic Fragmentation
- Media Capture
- Narrative Polarization
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Fuels extremism in Political Violence domain
- Weakens compliance with public institutions
Economy & Labor Structure
Scope
Macro- and micro-economy behavior, labor participation, productivity, wage dynamics.
Boundaries
Not health or social welfare (Social Safety Net).
Not cultural responses (Civic Norms).
Purely economic system behavior.
Institutional Organs
- Federal Reserve
- Treasury
- Labor Dept
- Private markets
- Supply chain networks
Stress Vectors
- Inflation shocks
- Mass layoffs
- Supply chain collapse
- Labor shortages
- Extreme asset inequality
Sub-Domains
- Inflation Dynamics
- Labor-Market Tightness
- Systemic Fragility
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Drives Social Safety Net stress
- Shapes Political Violence indirectly
Social Safety Net & Human Welfare
Scope
Tracks systems that provide health, housing, food, and income stability.
Boundaries
Not economy itself — only support structures.
Institutional Organs
- Medicaid, Medicare
- SNAP
- Unemployment insurance
- Disability systems
- Homeless services
Stress Vectors
- Benefit cuts
- Long delays
- Housing collapse
- Medical bankruptcies
- Caseworker shortfalls
Sub-Domains
- Housing Stability
- Health System Load
- Welfare Access Integrity
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Economic stress → immediate overload
- Drives civic distrust
Public Health & Medical Infrastructure
Scope
Health capacity, epidemiology, emergency medical response, biomedical stability.
Boundaries
Not welfare (Safety Net)
Not environment (Climate/Environment)
Institutional Organs
- CDC, NIH
- State health departments
- EMS networks
- Hospitals
Stress Vectors
- Pandemics
- Medical capacity overload
- Long COVID workforce reduction
- Drug shortages
Sub-Domains
- Epidemiological Readiness
- Medical System Load
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Overlap with Economy via workforce health
- Influences Social Cohesion
Immigration & Demographic Stability
Scope
Movements of populations, border systems, demographic distribution, asylum processing.
Boundaries
Not public safety (Political Violence).
Not welfare economics.
Institutional Organs
- DHS, CBP, ICE
- USCIS
- Immigration courts
- State refugee systems
Stress Vectors
- Border crises
- Mass deportations
- Overloaded asylum systems
- State-federal conflicts
Sub-Domains
- Border System Stability
- Demographic Flow Balance
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Executive Power domain often triggers waves
- Drives Federalism conflicts
Foreign Policy & Geopolitical Stability
Scope
Diplomatic posture, alliances, conflicts, sanctions, international treaties.
Boundaries
Not domestic politics.
Not military readiness specifically (Defense & Security).
Institutional Organs
- State Department
- National Security Council
- Ambassadors
- Intelligence community
Stress Vectors
- Alliance breakdown
- Nuclear escalations
- Trade wars
- Sanction retaliation
Sub-Domains
- Alliance Reliability
- Crisis Diplomacy
- Strategic Coherence
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Drives Defense & Security domain loads
- Affects Economy through sanctions
Defense, Security & Political Violence
Scope
Civil-military relations, domestic extremism, political violence, national security.
Boundaries
Not foreign conflicts (Foreign Policy).
Not civil liberties directly.
Institutional Organs
- Pentagon
- DHS
- National Guard
- Local law enforcement
- Intelligence bureaus
Stress Vectors
- Extremist mobilization
- Lone-wolf attacks
- Politicized military actions
- Insurrection attempts
Sub-Domains
- Domestic Extremism
- Security Force Integrity
- Civil-Military Boundary Health
Cross-Domain Interactions
- Most dependent on Civic Norms + Executive Power
- Can cascade into Elections