What can we know about the work of secret and intelligence services?

This question is the focus of the course “Spies, Agents, and Informants: How the Work of Secret Services is Researched,” which ACIPSS is offering at the University of Graz in the summer semester of 2026.

The course introduces students to the field of intelligence studies and provides a scientific approach to the work of secret and intelligence services. It covers key tasks, structures, and working methods as well as legal foundations, current developments, and social debates in Austria. Historical and contemporary case studies are used to illustrate theoretical concepts.

The aim is to develop a sound understanding of how intelligence activities can be researched – beyond myths, but with a view to their significance for security policy.

Summer semester 2026
5 ECTS
University of Graz