This article examines the role of intelligence studies in the development of national intelligence culture and state-level strategic intelligence. The two main theses presented in the article are: 1) intelligence studies can be purposefully used as a means to develop intelligence and intelligence culture, and 2) intelligence studies can utilize perspectives of science studies in this activity.
Intelligence and science have several similarities. The core task of both is to produce analyzed knowledge. In addition, science and intelligence, as concepts, refer to the activities in which this knowledge is generated and the institutional structures in which this activity takes place. Intelligence and science also have several differences. One of the most significant is the secrecy, which is a fundamental characteristic of intelligence. Also, the goals and methods often differ significantly. Therefore, intelligence is often considered more of an art than science.
The relationship between intelligence and science is multidimensional and partly problematic. Intelligence and scientific research can be each other’s subjects, but they can also share same research objects. This relationship becomes even more complex in a framework that includes science studies and intelligence studies, which consider science and intelligence as their own research objects
Intelligence studies approaches intelligence in a similar manner that science studies approaches science. This means that intelligence studies can be the subject of science studies. This kind of four-dimensional framework offers interesting perspectives for research. Among them, one can distinguish approach aimed specifically at developing intelligence and, more broadly, the entire intelligence culture. This approach known as instrumental approach emphasizes the practical benefits and utility of research activities. The importance of science studies and the philosophy of science for the development of science have been immense. Could intelligence studies do the same for intelligence and intelligence culture?
Research in intelligence studies can be divided into descriptive or normative research based on its nature. Descriptive intelligence studies can, for example, describe intelligence and intelligence culture, as well as their history and future. The normative research emphasizes the design science nature of intelligence studies. In general, the task of design science is to formulate technical norms, i.e. conditional recommendations and instructions for action.
As with intelligence itself, intelligence studies can aim to achieve a comparative advantage over opponents. In this case, the secrecy associated with the nature of intelligence is also strongly reflected in the nature and possibilities of intelligence studies. In this context, questions related to the ethics and morality of science become relevant. They are particularly emphasized in what intelligence studies aims to achieve and how its results are utilized.
Three examples of possible research goals and themes based on the main theses of the article are presented below:
- One goal of intelligence studies can be to provide general public with public scientific knowledge about intelligence. By popularizing this knowledge, it can be further refined into a form that is more understandable and accessible to the general public. Scientific knowledge deepens civil society’s understanding of intelligence and increases trust in it. This strengthens the national intelligence culture.
- Science is characterized by being progressive. Progress can be viewed, for example, from a cognitive and institutional perspective. Instrumental science studies on intelligence studies can produce knowledge about how intelligence studies has developed as a tool for developing intelligence itself. The goal can also be to investigate means that promote intelligence studies. The fascination of this perspective is that a similar approach can be applied not only to intelligence studies but also to intelligence itself. How does intelligence progress, and how can it be promoted?
- One of the tasks of intelligence studies can be to serve as a practical design science, which task is to produce scientific knowledge for conducting effective intelligence. Intelligence can then be seen as a skill that can be developed through intelligence studies. Design science produces recommendations and instructions for action. In intelligence studies, these may concern, for example, the use of intelligence as an instrument in state security policy or internal effectiveness of intelligence.
The changing international security situation highlights the importance of states’ strategic intelligence and, more broadly, a strong intelligence culture. Academic intelligence studies can play a significant role in the development of intelligence and intelligence culture.
Niko Makkonen
Lieutenant Colonel
Finnish Defence Forces
Finland
