Dictionary of intelligence & espionage
Dictionaries Series

The Dictionary of Intelligence and Espionage offers an accessible guide to a subject that, in the post-9/11 world, is both more central to our lives than at any previous time and is also a growing area of academic enquiry. A detailed Introduction provides an overview of the emergence, development and nature of Intelligence. This is followed by the Dictionary itself which comprises over 150 entries explaining key intelligence concepts and cases and provides an overview of the principle intelligence organisations. Entries range from accountability and agent-running, through devil's advocacy and extraordinary rendition, to surveillance and unmanned aerial vehicles. While the focus is contemporary, entries on key intelligence cases (ranging from the 9/11 Commission and Bay of Pigs invasion to UNSCOM and the Vietnam War), offer important historical context. Coverage of intelligence organisations is global, focusing not just on leading Western agencies, but also those in the developing world, often at the forefront of the ‘war on terror' and concerns relating to the security-civil liberties trade-off. Each entry closes with suggestions for further reading, making this book an invaluable resource and research tool for students, academics, policy-makers and all those who seek a more informed understanding of a sphere of activity that is global and has the capacity to affect the lives of everyone.

Mark Phythian is Professor of International Security at the University of Wolverhampton