International Intelligence Systems

The collection and use of intelligence have been functions of the state for thousands of years, and an essential element of the national security and foreign policy systems of the modern nation state.  However, it has long been apparent that different states conduct intelligence activities differently.  What accounts for these differences?  Until recently, the secrecy surrounding the activities, structure and impact of the specialized organizations involved in the intelligence process have made them difficult to study on a comparative basis.  Recent advances in the unclassified literature have now made such study possible.   The comparative study of foreign intelligence systems provides important insights into the foreign policy priorities and goals of the states in question, relevant to the work of both the national security and wider foreign policy communities in the U.S. and elsewhere. Moreover, the extent to which intelligence systems reflect the political culture of their host societies is also a subject of interest.   This course will begin with an introduction to intelligence systems as an academic subject.   It will continue with a comparative treatment of several Western and non-Western intelligence systems, to include those of major actors in the international system as well those of small powers.  For each intelligence system, we will examine the historical, institutional and cultural factors that make it unique.  Finally, the course will examine several functional intelligence challenges and compare how these are addressed by different states.  Particular attention will be paid to the identification of pathologies that can have a negative impact on the role of intelligence organizations within a given state, and the reform of intelligence systems to facilitate an appropriate role within a democratic or democratizing society.