Admission requirements
This course is designed for the minor Intelligence Studies. It is not possible to follow single courses of this minor. You need to be enrolled in Usis for the minor to be accepted to this course.
This course is also open for inbound exchange students if they wish to take the entire minor Intelligence Studies; it is not possible to take single courses from this minor. Exchange students must be admitted by the FGGA International Office prior to the start of the minor; priority will be given to direct exchange partners of FGGA. For more information about the application procedure for exchange students, please contact the FGGA International Office at international@fgga.leidenuniv.nl.
Description
The existence of intelligence services within democratic societies presents a paradox: on the one hand, they are tasked with protecting the democratic legal order from external and internal threats. On the other hand, they are granted certain invasive surveillance powers and mount controversial operations that sometimes contravene moral and legal norms. Their activities are also clouded in secrecy, whereas many argue that government transparency is vital for a healthy democracy.
This course examines this paradoxical situation through a number of themes. It explores the role of accountability and the oversight of intelligence agencies in democratic societies. It examines the tension between government secrecy and the freedom of the press, including the thorny issue of national security whistleblowers. We will debate the necessity of secrecy in open societies, different theories of transparency, and how they can help us to conceptualize the relationship between transparency and democracy. And we will explore the often lively public and political discourse about intelligence agencies, including the role and impact of conspiracy theories.
Ultimately, this course asks you to balance the important fundamental values that are in play when intelligence services do their work in democratic societies. It will introduce you to a range of histories and theories that help better contextualize and conceive of these tensions.
Course objectives
- The student gains knowledge about the position of intelligence services in the democratic legal order and the student is able to position the different services in the different traditions and political theories.
- The student will recognise the core controversies and debates that have occurred historically in relation to the activities of intelligence services in democratic societies.
- The student is able to explain the possible areas of tension in regard to the position of intelligence and security services in a legal democratic legal order.
- The student gains insight in the historical and current relationship between the intelligence services, civil services, public administration, politics, and society.
- The student is able to analyse the position of a service in the democratic legal order and to distill the core issues and interests at hand.
- The student is able to identify and analyse important primary documents on the intelligence services.
Timetable
On the right side of the programme front page you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
7 lectures of 3 hours by instructor and guest lecturers.
Participation in lectures, discussions, and exercises is required in order to obtain a grade. One lecture may be missed. Being absent more than once will lead to expulsion from the course.
Assessment method
Final exam (100%)
100% of total grade.
Resit possible.
Resit will take the same form, albeit with new exam questions.
Late hand in penalty: 1 minus per day, and after three days we do not accept the assignment any longer.
The Course and Examination Regulation Security Studies and the Rules and Regulation of the Board of Examiners of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs apply.
The re-sit for the final exam will take place in January 2027. The exact date will be confirmed during the teaching semester.
The exam will take the same format as the first attempt, albeit the questions will be different. You are expected to attend the exam in person, so if you need to re-sit you will need to make arrangements to be present at the exam in January.
If you miss the first attempt of the exam at the end of block 1, then you are automatically eligible to re-sit. However, you are only entitled to a single re-sit opportunity unless the Board of Examiners grants you an additional attempt due to extenuating circumstances.
If you fail the first attempt, you are also automatically eligible to re-sit. You may review your first attempt at the exam by appointment with the course co-ordinator.
Reading list
The syllabus that includes an extensive reading list will be posted onto Brightspace in the weeks prior to the course beginning.
Registration
Registration via MyStudymap is possible from Tuesday 14 July 2026 13:00h after registration for the entire minor. Register for every course via MyStudymap. Some courses of the minor have a limited number of participants, so register on time. Registration for the exam is mandatory.
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.
Please note 1: Registration for the resit of an exam is mandatory, this has to be done by the student and can be done from TBA until 10 days before the exam. Until 5 days before the exam you can email OSC and fill in a form.
Please note 2: guest-/contract-/exchange students do not register via MyStudymap but via uSis. Registration via uSis is possible from Thursday 16 July 2026 after registration for the entire minor.
Contact
Remarks
This course can only be taken as part of the minor Intelligence Studies.
All sessions will be in English. Exams and assignments need to be written in English.
Please be aware that the resits will take place in January.