Handbook

This course examines the activities of spies, spy-catchers, intelligence agencies, and the operations they have conducted throughout history to obtain or protect secrets. Cloaks and daggers, dead drops, surveillance vans, and electronic intercepts have all been used by state and non-state actors vying for an edge over their adversaries. Using case studies from across the globe – in times of peace and war – students will use historical material to develop an understanding of why intelligence agencies exist, what they do, and how they do it. Instances of success and failure will be analysed, requiring students to think critically about the use and misuse of intelligence, including the propriety, ethics, benefits and limitations of intelligence collection. The course aims to explore the shadowy world of intelligence operations, and through this further develop students’ abilities in using primary and secondary sources to research and examine important historical events.