Secret Intelligence and International Security
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| POLI3097 | Politics and International Relations | 3 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- POLI3097
- School
- Politics and International Relations
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
An introduction to the concepts and practices of secret intelligence and its place within international security. The module is split into three sections. The first examines conceptual issues and models; the second explores some of the roles of intelligence in the twenty-first century and the third examines how intelligence actors can actively shape international relations. These are highly relevant issues, which are regularly in the media.
Target Students
Available to Final Year UG students in the School of Politics and International Relations on single honours plans. Also available to Final Year UG students on the Politics and Economics plan, Final Year UG students on the Politics and Philosophy plan, and Final Year MSci International Relations and Global Issues students.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: 1,500 - word essay
- 70% Coursework 2: 2,500 - word essay
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
To understand the nature and role of intelligence in its relationship to wider issues in international security.To appreciate the processes, practices, and institutions that have characterised intelligence in the modern era.To separate fact from fiction in the murky and mythologised world of secret intelligence.To appreciate the particular dilemmas generated by intelligence related phenomenaLearning Outcomes
a) Knowledge and Understanding:
- Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role and nature of secret intelligence within different political systems
- Students will be able to comprehend how intelligence is mediated to understand and evaluate political events
- Students will be able to apply concepts used in the study of intelligence to understand historical and contemporary international relations
b) Intellectual and Transferable Skills
- Students will be able to gather, organise, and deploy evidence from a variety of secondary and digitised primary sources
- Students will be able to critically evaluate digitised primary sources in order to determine epistemological frailties, bias and/or, disinformation
- Students will be able to communicate effectively and fluently, including through constructing coherent and persuasive narratives from fragmented sources
c) Digital competencies
- Students will be able to conduct open source research using online archival databases