'No, we don't know where Tupac is': Critical Intelligence Studies and the significance of the CIA on Social Media

Crilley, R. and Pears, L. (2021) 'No, we don't know where Tupac is': Critical Intelligence Studies and the significance of the CIA on Social Media. Intelligence and National Security, 36(4), pp. 599-614. (doi: 10.1080/02684527.2021.1893079)

Abstract

Since joining Twitter in 2014, the CIA has used social media to show an uncharacteristically humorous side to an institution more commonly associated with espionage and secrecy. In light of this representation, we analyse the CIA’s tweets and public responses to them by building upon recent work on critical intelligence studies. We argue that the CIA’s use of social media is a continuation of the CIA’s intervention in popular culture that is vital to the legitimation of the Agency’s actions. In doing so we demonstrate the contribution that discourse analysis can make to intelligence studies in the digital age.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Crilley, Dr Rhys
• Authors: Crilley, R., and Pears, L.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Intelligence and National Security
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0268-4527
• ISSN (Online): 1743-9019
• Published Online: 18 March 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Intelligence and National Security 36(4): 599-614
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy