US Intelligence and Al Qaeda: Analysis by Contrasting Narratives

US Intelligence and Al Qaeda: Analysis by Contrasting Narratives
ISBN-10
1474478093
ISBN-13
9781474478090
Pages
256
Language
English
Published
2020-09-21
Publisher
Edinburgh University Press
Author
de Werd Peter de Werd

Description

This book sets out a new analytic methodology: analysis by contrasting narratives (ACN), which states that defining an enemy and attempting to counter threats can contribute to the manifestation of that threat. Peter de Werd applies ACN to the problem the US faced in understanding and responding to the phenomenon of Al Qaeda in the 1990s. He demonstrates how this approach can fill a gap in intelligence studies by enhancing the understanding of complex intelligence problems and strengthening the practice of intelligence analysis. Adopting a reflexivist theoretical stance, the book underlines the importance of an integrated approach to interpretation and action, and of a continuous dialogue between intelligence and policy.

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