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Institute of Advanced Study
External shot of Institute of Advanced study at Cosin's Hall

Stealing Secrets? Intelligence theory and the open society

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8 February 2024 - 8 February 2024

9:00AM - 1:00PM

Cosin's Hall, Seminar Room, Palace Green

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Stealing secrets is routinely seen as the world’s second oldest profession. Combining diverse approaches and interdisciplinary perspectives across politics, security, history, philosophy, and law, the team investigates how best to theorise intelligence in the Liberal International Order at a time of transition, and how an open society perspective can protect core values and principles both in and through intelligence.

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This workshop, over two days,  brings together leading UK-based experts from politics, security, history, philosophy, and law, to scope  how theorising intelligence can advance both IR and intelligence studies at a time of purported crisis in the Liberal International Order. Furthermore, it will engage how open societies think of intelligence and espionage to enable effective debate over intelligence. There is unprecedented uncertainty over disruptive actors and technologies, making both a general theory of intelligence in contemporary international order and an effective framework for its democratic debate exceptionally important.  

The objectives of the workshop are: 

  1. Review current research on general theories of intelligence; 
  1. Scope theoretical angles within IR for building a better general theory of intelligence; 
  1. Identify challenges facing intelligence theory and functions in open societies. 


Timings

07 February - Day 1: 2.00-5.00pm

08 February - Day 2: 09.00am-1.00pm

Places are limited and so please contact Professor John Williams (j.c.williams@durham.ac.uk) for further information. 

Pricing

Free