International Intelligence History Association

16th Annual Conference 2010

Call for Papers

“Intelligence and Society”

at the Akademie für Politische Bildung at Tutzing (near Munich/Germany), on 23-25 April 2010

Intelligence services are in many ways the products of their societies. But this influence is a highly complex one. While citizens fear the “secret power” of the state, the holders of political powers use intelligence to subdue fundamental opposition movements within their societies. External intelligence activities are shaped by both the societies they are meant to protect and those presenting a threat in one way or another.

The resulting complex relationships work in different directions and at different levels. They shape the structures, legal frameworks and “cultures” of intelligence organizations. At the same time they lead to more intangible effects such as societal fantasies about intelligence which in turn find their expression in literature, film and popular myths about intelligence.

The many historical varieties will be the overall subject of the 2010 Annual Conference of the International Intelligence History Association (IIHA), which will be held at the Akademie für Politische Bildung at Tutzing (near Munich/Germany), on 23-25 April 2010. This year’s cooperation partner, the Akademie, is a prestigious non-partisan center of political and social study, founded in 1957, which is funded by direct annual grants from the parliament of the state of Bavaria. The conference language will be English, with the possible exception of some German contributions which will be summarized in English.

We encourage scholars, both senior and junior, to submit proposals for papers from all historical periods and relating to all parts of the world. Topics should relate to one or several of the following subject areas:

• Social groups and actors taking a particular interest in intelligence (or forming a typical “object” of intelligence operations)
• Intelligence operations in foreign and fundamentally “different” societies (e.g., imperial and colonial history; cold war operations in “third world” societies; US and European intelligence operations in Asia and Africa; Chinese operations directed at North America and Europe; etc.)
• The role of intelligence in the break-up of empires and states
• The role of intelligence in the transformation of societies (from traditional to modern; from dictatorial to democratic – and vice versa --; from foreign-controlled to independent; the use of minorities and “fifth column” forces; etc)
• Intelligence in culture and popular culture (literature, film, media, etc)
• Societal approval and/or disapproval of intelligence (moral and legal concerns; organized and un-organized opposition and/or support on the part of societal groups – ranging from churches and labor unions to academic organizations, etc.)

 
The deadline for paper proposals is 20 February 2010. Proposals (1 page), together with a brief c.v. and address should be sent to Jens Wegener, Executive Director of the IIHA, at exec_director@intelligence-history.org

Conference organizers: Dr. Saskia Hieber (Akademie/Tutzing) and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Krieger (Marburg University/IIHA)

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