Confidence in Intelligence: Jennifer Sims in 5

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to the Lowy Institute for the first of three video clips; the thread's title is mine:

Dr Sims, regarded as one of world's leading experts on intelligence, having previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence Coordination for the US State Department, led a fascinating discussion about the changing nature of intelligence and the challenges facing intelligence services.

We recorded a long video discussion with Jennifer which we have broken up into three parts. In this first video (5 mins), Dr Sims looks at the information revolution – how the rise of the internet has fundamentally altered intelligence-gathering techniques, bringing challenges and opportunities in a globalised security environment.

Link:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...elligence.aspx

Link to Dr. Sims Georgetown bio:http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/jes67/

Note she has been outside government service since May 2001.

[davidbfpo]

From the Lowy Institute:

Dr Sims presents her theory about how the spread of 'viral' ideas, through improved internet/communication mediums, can lead to rapid mobilisation of these ideas across the citizenry, which may force government instability. Dr Sims looks at examples in the Middle East and Africa, where internet penetration has quickly moved from 15% to 40% of the population, which she calls 'the critical period where political instability can happen'. The rapid spread of communications is empowering to people and can be for good, says Dr Sims, but governments need to take notice.

All on a very short podcast:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...-(part-2).aspx

[davidbfpo]

Dr Sims talks about the tremendous change in intelligence studies in the US, with a significant number of well-known women reaching senior levels in the field. It is a testament to the national security studies programs at universities across the US, says Dr Sims, which are becoming 'increasingly female in their composition' — not because they are looking at gender statistics but because they are 'looking for who is good' when searching to bring people into programs.

Link:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...-(part-3).aspx