Our research on intelligence and security contributes to academic knowledge, informs public debate, supports our teaching and the development of professional practice.

Areas of expertise

We are interested in the impact of intelligence on security, defence and foreign policy. We examine the functioning of intelligence organisations—including key processes such as collection, analysis, dissemination, management and oversight. Our research on methodology and warning seeks to improve the analytical capabilities of intelligence and security services, ensuring that threats and opportunities are not overlooked or misunderstood on both sides of the intelligence-policy nexus.

Since 2021, our research group has been augmented by a team of Policing Studies researchers, as part of a collaboration with the Dutch National Police. This team seeks to strengthen the academic foundation of police studies in the Netherlands and beyond, broadening and enriching knowledge in this field.

Research priorities

Our group conducts research on the following themes:

• Politics, governance and management of intelligence and security.
• The legal, ethical, and societal norms that affect intelligence and security.
• The impact of emerging technologies on intelligence and security.
• Covert influence, intelligence cooperation and the role of alliances in international relations.
• Methodological challenges in intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination.
• Intelligence and security challenges in Europe, North America, and the Global South.