ESPIONNAGE/SPY FICTION

Social Anthropology, 2020

an expanded spy novel treatment

Belphégor, 2014

International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, 1997

Story of the secret operations of the Romans under Augustus and Tiberius

2014

The literary genre of spy fiction is as old as the modern intelligence community itself. It ́s popular because it portrays an exciting, hidden world and the authors make their readers think that what they are reading reflects reality. This apparent realism in a field that is so inherently secret makes the genre of spy fiction so influential, because it often is the public ́s only source of information about the secret intelligence community. But spy novels are works of literature and works of fiction. Authors aim to write a good story and they use the background of apparent realism. They don’t need to tell all the facts – just as much as to make it seem plausible and exciting at the same time. This essay will point out the elements of truth that can be found in a spy novel and argue that – because of its enormous influence on public perceptions – everyone might benefit from a few improvements. It will start with a characterization of this literary field and try to find the ingredients that make a good spy novel. After that, common criticisms of the genre will help understand what makes the genre so controversial. To continue, the essay will question the authority that intelligence agencies and academics claim over the truth and look at the parallels that the study of intelligence has with spy fiction. Thinking of its influence on public perceptions, this essay will take a look at the presentation of issues of morality within spy novels. It will then go on to explore how exactly spy fiction has influenced public perceptions and even policy making. The changing threats in world politics and their incorporation in spy fiction will be illustrated through the example of one of the most famous fictional spies: James Bond. Using the example of the American TV series ‘Homeland’ (2011), this essay will look at the relatively new threat of terrorism in the Middle East and its translation into spy fiction. Another example, the very recent film ‘the Imitation Game’ (2014) shows that the early mechanisms of the big bad agency against one dedicated individual and the personal transformation of the protagonist still work. This essay will close with a look into the possible future of spy fiction and suggestions for improvements.

The Baghdad Set

2013

The Secret War marks a new direction in the cultural history and theory of intelligence gathering and state secrecy in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. While historical truth remains hidden from the public, Eva Horn finds in political fiction, which serves as both an indicator and a tool, a means to analyze political secrets. Starting with a general theory of treason and military intelligence as a specific type of political knowledge, the book charts the history of intelligence gathering from 1900 to 9/11. The Secret War analyzes literary and cinematic depictions of espionage from Rudyard Kipling and T. E. Lawrence to John Le Carré and Steven Spielberg. Horn considers these fictional accounts against the historical development of Western secret services from their inception in World War I to their struggle against current terrorist networks. The Secret War shows the crucial part fictions play in shaping conflicts, constructing “the enemy,” and deciding political strategies.