Reading seminar in social science: intelligence and national security

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

This course will examine the origins, structure and functions of the U.S. Intelligence Community and its relationship to national security policy. It will look in some detail at the key intelligence agencies and the functions they perform, including collection, analysis, counterintelligence and covert action. It will also look at some of the key intelligence missions, such as strategic warning, counterterrorism, counterproliferation, and counterinsurgency. Finally, it will examine some of the major controversies concerning intelligence, including its successes and failures, relationship to policymakers, congressional oversight, and the need for reform.

The Tuesday session will consist primarily of a lecture based on the required readings. The Thursday session will consist of class exercises, including discussions of major intelligence topics drawn from the media, production of draft current and estimative intelligence items, and debates of controversial intelligence issues.

Class participation is important and will consist of 20% of the grade. Another 20% will be based on class papers and exercises, and the last 60% will be based on the mid-term (20%) and final (40%) exam.

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