Intelligence Studies in Britain and the US

The first introduction to writing about intelligence and intelligence services

Secrecy has never stopped people from writing about intelligence. From memoirs and academic texts to conspiracy-laden exposés and spy novels, writing on intelligence abounds. Now, this new account uncovers intelligence historiography’s hugely important role in shaping popular understandings and the social memory of intelligence.

In this first introduction to these official and unofficial histories, a range of leading contributors narrate and interpret the development of intelligence studies as a discipline. Each chapter showcases new archival material, looking at a particular book or series of books and considering issues of production, censorship, representation and reception.

Key Features

• 15 chapters from contributors including:
• Richard Aldrich, intelligence historian
• Matthew Jones, novelist
• Nicholas Dujmovic, CIA Staff Historian
• Keith Jeffery, author of the first official history of MI6
• Jo Wippl, Former CIA operations officer
• Chapman Pincher, journalist
• Explores topics such as CIA historiography, MI5/MI6 historiography, the literature of eavesdropping and the importance of film in constructing proto or counter-histories of intelligence
• Offers original insights into intelligence through an engagement with its past formulation and emerging patterns