Stephen Marrin
Lecturer
Politics and History
Brunel University
Uxbridge, UB8 3PH
United Kingdom
Biography
Qualifications
- PhD Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia
- MA Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia
- BA Political Science, Colgate University
Personal Biography
Dr Stephen Marrin specializes in the study of intelligence analysis. After working at CIA as an analyst and contractor, he is now a Lecturer in the Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies at Brunel University in London, England. He has written about many different aspects of intelligence analysis, including new analyst training at CIA’s Sherman Kent School, the similarities and differences between intelligence analysis and medical diagnosis as a source of ideas for improving the quality of future intelligence analysis, and the professionalization of intelligence analysis. In 2004 the National Journal profiled him as one of the ten leading experts on intelligence reform.
Research
Research Overview
I am an intelligence policy analyst with a specialization in intelligence analysis. My research focuses on two related areas: (1) policies to reform and improve the quality of intelligence analysis and (2) policies to improve its contribution to national security decisionmaking. In political science terms, I am a specialist on the intelligence aspects of the American government. My current research explores the parallels between knowing and understanding in the national security context with that in medicine, journalism, law, history, anthropology, and the social sciences more generally. This is a form of comparative applied epistemology.
Member, Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS).
Current Projects
Brunel University BRIEF Award
Understanding and improving intelligence analysis: lessons from journalism
£11,000
2011 - 2012
Stephen Marrin (PI)
Teaching
Undergraduate Programmes
Module convenor
- Intelligence and National Security
Module contributor
- World Politics
Postgraduate Programmes
Programme convenor
- MA Intelligence and Security Studies
Module convenor
- Intelligence Analysis and Decision
Module contributor
- Contemporary Threats and Analytical Methodology
Administration
- Acting Deputy Director, Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies
- Programme Convenor, MA in Intelligence and Security Studies
- Admissions Tutor, MA in Intelligence and Security Studies
External Activity
- Program Chair, Intelligence Studies Section, International Studies Association
- Editorial Advisory Board, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
- Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers
Publications
Publications
Journal Papers
(2013) Marrin, S., Evaluating CIA's Analytic Performance: Reflections of a Former Analyst, Orbis 57 (2) : 325- 339
(2013) Marrin, S., Rethinking analytic politicization, Intelligence and National Security 28 (1) : 32- 54
(2013) Marrin, S., Revisiting intelligence and policy: Problems with politicization and receptivity, Intelligence and National Security 28 (1) : 1- 4
(2012) Marrin, S., Is Intelligence Analysis an Art or a Science?, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 25 (3) : 529- 545
(2012) Marrin, S., Evaluating the Quality of Intelligence Analysis: By What Mis-Measure?, Intelligence and National Security
(2012) Marrin, S., Intelligence Studies Centers: Making Scholarship on Intelligence Analysis Useful., Intelligence and National Security. 27 (3) : 398- 422
(2011) Marrin, S., The 9/11 terrorist attacks: A failure of policy not strategic intelligence analysis, Intelligence and National Security 26 (2-3) : 182- 202
(2010) Marrin, S., Academics and Practitioners: Competitors or Collaboratos?, Competitive Intelligence and Strategy 3 (5)
(2009) Marrin, S., Book review on Analyzing intelligence: origins, obstacles, and innovations by Roger George and James Bruce (Eds), International Affairs 85 (1) : 167- 168
(2009) Marrin, S. and Davies, P., National assessment by the National Security Council staff 1968–80: an American experiment in a British style of analysis?, Intelligence and National Security 24 (5) : 644- 673
(2009) Marrin, S., Training and educating US intelligence analysts, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 22 (1) : 131- 146
(2007) Marrin, S. and Clemente, J., Modeling an Intelligence Analysis Profession on Medicine, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 19 (4) : 642- 665
(2007) Marrin, S., At Arm's Length or At the Elbow? Explaining the Distance between Analysts and Decisionmakers, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 20 (3) : 401- 414
(2007) Marrin, S., Intelligence Analysis: Structured Methods or Intuition?, American Intelligence Journal 25 (1) : 7- 16
(2007) Marrin, S., Intelligence Analysis Theory: Explaining and Predicting Analytic Responsibilities., Intelligence and National Security. 22 (6) : 821- 846
(2005) Marrin, S., Intelligence Analysis: Turning a Craft Into a Profession, Proceedings of the 2005 International Conference on Intelligence Analysis
(2005) Marrin, S., Using Intelligence to Protect Homeland Security, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 18 (3) : 549- 573
(2005) Marrin, S., Improving Intelligence Analysis by Looking to the Medical Profession, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 18 (4) : 707- 729
(2004) Marrin, S., Preventing Intelligence Failures By Learning From the Past, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 17 (4) : 655- 672
(2004) Marrin, S., Fixing intelligence: For a more secure America, POLITICAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY 119 (2) : 352- 353 Download publication
(2003) Marrin, S., CIA's Kent School: Improving Training for New Analysts, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 16 (4) : 609- 637
(2003) Marrin, S., Homeland Security Intelligence: Just the Beginning, Journal of Homeland Security
(2002) Marrin, S., Homeland Security and the Analysis of Foreign Intelligence, Markle Foundation Task Force on National Security in the Information Age Background Paper
(2000) Marrin, S., The CIA's Kent School: A Step in the Right Direction, The Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies 11 (2) : 55- 57
Book Chapters
(2008) Marrin, S., Intelligence analysis and decisionmaking: methodological challenges. In: Gill, P., Marrin, S. and Phythian, M. eds. Intelligence Theory: Key Questions and Debates. Routledge 131- 150
Books
(2011) Marrin, S., Improving Intelligence Analysis: Bridging the Gap between Scholarship and Practice. Routledge
(2008) Gill, P., Marrin, S. and Phythian, M., Intelligence theory: key questions and debates. Routledge
