A series of investigations, especially in Great Britain and the United States, have focused attention on the performance of national intelligence services. At the same time, terrorism and a broad span of trans-national security challenges has highlighted the crucial role of intelligence. This book takes stock of the underlying intellectual sub-structure of intelligence. For intelligence, as for other areas of policy, serious intellectual inquiry is the basis for improving the performance of real-world institutions. The volume explores intelligence from an intellectual perspective, not an organizational one. Instead the book identifies themes that run through these applications, such as the lack of comprehensive theories, the unclear relations between providers and users of intelligence, and the predominance of bureaucratic organizations driven by collection. A key element is the development, or rather non-development, of intelligence toward an established set of methods and standards and, above all, an ongoing scientific discourse.

'This valuable book, written from five distinct national perspectives, is a landmark contribution. Its original and experienced thinking is essential reading for people concerned about re-inventing democratic intelligence for today’s assymetrical challenges.'

Anthony Campbell - Former Head of Intelligence Analysis in the Canadian Privy Council (Cabinet) Office

'What are intelligence’s special characteristics? What are the intellectual foundations for what it does? Here is a heavyweight attempt to develop answers to these key questions, for all concerned with intelligence everywhere.'

Michael Herman - Founder Director, Oxford Intelligence Group

'An outstanding collection that brings together many of the most talented scholars working on intelligence and security issues today in a wide-ranging survey of the state of the field. The wide range of approaches and the variety of topics covered ensure that this volume will be indispensable for both teaching and research for years to come.'

Peter Jackson - Aberystwyth University, UK