Standard: Improving Intelligence: A New Dialogue Between S&TS Scholars and Intelligence Analysts

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

Studies of how scientific knowledge is used in policy decisions usually shed light on how natural and physical science intersects with policy. By contrast, less is known about how social science is utilized in policy making. To fill this gap, this study investigates how intelligence analysts acquire, process, and utilize social science to make policy, through a study of the uptake of science and technology studies (STS) research by weapons of mass destruction experts and policymakers. It addresses a gap that the U.S. intelligence community has recognized: the need to access expertise about the human-technology interface in order to mitigate future intelligence failures. Using participant observation, anonymous surveys, and anonymous in-person interviews, the study investigates how weapons of mass destruction assessments can integrate social and technical factors. Two groups composed of STS researchers and WMD policymakers are studied: one that examines nuclear weapons technologies, and one that examines biological weapons technologies. The study (1) interjects into the U.S. intelligence community analytic perspectives from science and technology studies that can generate new understandings on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats; (2) studies how intelligence analysts absorb these perspectives to make sense of these threats; and (3) examines how feedback from intelligence practitioners can refine and suggest new research avenues for STS scholarship related to WMD threats. Through publications, presentations at conferences, workshops, teaching, and web-based publishing, the findings of this project are made available to a broad range of expert, educator, student, and informed lay audiences. The specific research outputs of this project are scholarly publications, briefings to U.S. intelligence and policy officials, and workforce training to improve WMD assessments. Integrated with the research, the project also creates new graduate and undergraduate courses for students interested in science, technology, and security, and produces new knowledge about pedagogical methods to teach science and security issues at the undergraduate and graduate level.