KCSI Digest - Jan 2026 | King’s Centre for the Study of Intelligence

January 2026 Digest

Contents:

Events
Conferences
Call for Papers
Recent Publications
Podcasts

Events:

Spy Chat with Chris Costa and Kieran Ramsey
15 January 2026
International Spy Museum, Online

Join us for an online discussion of the latest intelligence, national security, and terrorism issues in the news. Spy Museum Executive Director Chris Costa will lead the briefing. He will be joined by Kieran Ramsey, Chief Investigative Officer of Global Reach, an organization dedicated to bringing Americans home.

Ramsey joined Global Reach after a 32-year career in federal law enforcement and the US intelligence community. He most recently served as an Assistant Director, FBI, and was their Senior Representative to a US intelligence community agency. This assignment required he ensure intelligence community capabilities and authorities were fully integrated across the entire range of national security threats: counterterrorism, counterespionage, cyber, hostage situations, and transnational organized crime. He previously served as the third Director of the US government’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell. His other positions across his lengthy career include multiple domestic office postings, as well as cross-cultural assignments as a diplomat, and the senior FBI official in US embassies in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. His other assignments ranged from the Regime Crimes Task Force in Iraq in 2004 to navigating FBI’s support to local law enforcement during the period of civil unrest in Portland, Oregon in 2020. He also led one of the FBI’s Evidence Response Teams in New York in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Ramsey has been honored across his career for a variety of investigations including the United States Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Award, the International Chiefs of Police Award, and the International Narcotics Officer Association Award.

More details here.

Fireside Chat with Director William J. Burns
21 January 2026
International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C.

Join us for an intimate evening of cocktails and conversation with former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William J. Burns. The Fireside Chat will be led by International Spy Museum Executive Director, Chris Costa, and will consist of stimulating conversation about geopolitics and global challenges. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be provided.

Bill Burns is a Senior Advisor for Global Affairs at Evercore. Widely regarded as one of the most distinguished and respected American statesmen of the last century, Bill has served six Presidents and Administrations of both parties. He most recently was Director of the CIA and a member of President Biden’s Cabinet, the first career diplomat to lead the CIA. At the end of three and a half decades in the Foreign Service, he became only the second serving career officer in history to become the Deputy Secretary of State. He also served as Ambassador to Russia and Jordan, and in a number of other senior posts. Burns served from 2015 to 2021 as the President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. During those years, he wrote the bestselling book, The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for its Renewal. Burns earned a bachelor’s from LaSalle University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar.

More details here.

Inside Intelligence: The Historical Roots of Russian Intelligence Services
21 January 2026
Johns Hopkins, Online

Join MS in Intelligence Analysis Program Director Michael Ard as he hosts Kevin Riehle, longtime U.S. foreign intelligence analyst and current lecturer in Intelligence and Security Studies at Brunel University of London, for a robust discussion on Russian intelligence operations in the West.

Riehle retired in 2021 from a 30+ year career in the U.S. national security community, with tours in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Counterintelligence Center, U.S. European Command Joint Analysis Center, DoD Counterintelligence Field Activity, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. He also retired in 2014 as a U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer with the rank of commander. During his career, Riehle focused on analyzing foreign intelligence services and supporting counterintelligence activities to neutralize the threats they pose. He finished his career as an associate professor of strategic intelligence at the National Intelligence University, teaching courses and chairing over 40 master's theses on intelligence, counterintelligence, and Eurasia-related topics. He also served as the department head for the Collection, Analysis and Counterintelligence Department.

More details here.

Artificial General Intelligence: America’s Next National Security Frontier
21 January 2026
The Institute of World Politics, Washington D.C.

Join IWP alumni Mark Beall and Brendan Steinhauser as they discuss AI’s growing impact on America’s national security and global stability. This lecture will discuss the dangers that advanced AI would pose to the United States, the world, and humanity if developed and deployed without proper safeguards. These dangers would include its impact on our economy, geopolitical relations, and our national security. Brendan Steinhauser is a Partner with Steinhauser Strategies, a public affairs firm based in Austin, Texas. Mark Beall is a leading expert at the intersection of AI policy and national security. After serving as the inaugural Pentagon AI Policy Director at the Department of Defense’s Joint AI Center, he became the Senior Advisor at the AI Policy Network, an organization that builds bipartisan support for legislation that will help the United States prepare for the future capabilities of AI systems.

More details here.

RUSI NextGen Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Workshop
22 January 2025
RUSI, London, UK

This workshop is aimed at early-career professionals or those aspiring to work in intelligence, security, investigations or journalism. The workshop will be facilitated and led by RUSI NextGen Ambassador Ethan Jeremiah Sanderson and will provide a broad overview of open-source intelligence (OSINT). Participants will learn through group work and hands-on exercises. Rather than focusing on intelligence analysis, the objective of this session is to: provide a high-level understanding of what is OSINT, how to conduct it safely and responsibly, how to verify open-source findings. This is an in-person only event open exclusively for RUSI NextGen Community Members, taking place at RUSI, 61 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET.

More details here.

Coffee and Conversation with CIA
29 January 2026
Intelligence and National Security Alliance, Online

Join us on Thursday, January 29, from 9:00-9:45 am ET, for a virtual Coffee & Conversation with Larry Taxson, Digital Capabilities Delivery Executive, CIA, and Israel Soong, Deputy Director, Office of Artificial Intelligence, CIA. In a moderated discussion with John Doyon, Executive VP, INSA, Mr. Taxson and Mr. Soong will discuss strengthening digital resilience across the DIB, integrating AI in classified environments, enabling secure edge computing, and accelerating public-private collaboration in cloud innovation. There will be ample time for audience Q&A!

More details here.

Conferences:

Defense and Intelligence Space Conference
9-11 February 2026
Hyatt Regency Reston, Virginia

The Defense and Intelligence Space Conference (DISC) is THE premier event uniting government and industry to drive solutions-focused dialogue and strengthen U.S. and allied space capabilities. The 5th Annual Defense and Intelligence Space Conference will take place February 9–11, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Reston and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Springfield, Virginia.

Guided by the DISC26 theme, The Path to Persistence and Dominance in Space, the conference will anchor high-level discussions across both Title 10 and Title 50 mission areas. DISC offers a unique forum for senior decision-makers and architects of space infrastructure to share insights, foster collaboration, and address the evolving threats shaping the future of space operations.

To kick off the conference, NSSA is dedicating Monday, February 9, 2026, exclusively to Early Career Programming for young professionals 35 and under. This immersive day will feature dynamic sessions delivering real-world career insights, actionable advice, and practical guidance for aspiring officers, civil servants, and space professionals. The day will conclude with high-impact speed mentoring, offering direct access to some of the most prolific and influential voices across government and industry—an unparalleled opportunity to connect, learn, and accelerate your career.

More details here.

Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) Spring 2026 Symposium
24 March 2026
Georgetown University, Washington D.C.

The Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) was established in 2018 by the National Intelligence University (NIU) and university partners to promote communication and cooperation among academic and government organizations. The ISC provides an organized forum for the partner universities to collaborate in exploring issues and engaging in solutions that can improve national security. The participating universities have intelligence studies academic programs and unique relationships with many government agencies, non-government organizations, and the private sector; the ISC seeks to develop these relationships and provide an integrated forum to discuss critical intelligence issues in intelligence education.

The upcoming Spring 2026 Symposium, titled "The Intelligence Profession: Future Challenges & Opportunities," will feature a combination of keynote speakers, student and faculty panels, student and faculty poster sessions, networking opportunities, and a Career Fair. We will feature information about publication, internships, and employment opportunities in government (intelligence community and non-Title 50 jobs) and the private sector. This symposium will be conducted both in-person and virtually; all sessions will be recorded. We’ll provide morning refreshments and host an evening reception. We will recognize outstanding student presentations with awards.

More details here.

Call for Papers:

Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) Spring 2026 Symposium
Call for Papers: The Intelligence Profession: Future Challenges and Opportunities
Abstracts Due: 16 January 2026
Symposium: 24 March 2026
University of Virginia, Charlottsville, VA

This Call for Submissions aims to solicit fresh insights from students and faculty members at the ISC universities—at the graduate, undergraduate, or post-doctoral levels—for presentation at the Spring 2026 Symposium, “The Intelligence Profession: Future Challenges & Opportunities.” The lines of effort for this challenge, supported by the Intelligence Studies Consortium, include Homeland Security, National Security & Great Power Competition, Business/Private Sector, Emerging Technologies, and the Concept & Future of Intelligence Studies. Individuals or teams of students should submit ideas in one of the areas below or note that their submission falls in an unidentified area (Open Topic Submission).

This symposium is an opportunity for students and faculty members to present recent work at an academic conference in a panel format. Panelists will be selected for participation in the symposium based on their proposal, which will be judged by the ISC faculty representatives, using the criteria below. In addition, all persons (whether or not selected for a panel) will have the opportunity to present in a poster session. Please submit a 1-2 page proposal (an abstract) for a 10-minute presentation at the symposium and panel discussion. Government employees are obligated to obtain prepublication review on their own prior to submission.

More details here.

Call for Papers: National Intelligence History Conference, ‘Intelligence Collaboration and Co-operation’
Abstracts Due: 29 January 2026
Conference: 14-16 October 2026
Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, UK

The Bletchley Park Trust and GCHQ invite submissions for papers to be presented at the National Intelligence History Conference (NIHC) in October 2026. The conference is jointly hosted by Bletchley Park Trust (BPT) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The conference will take place at the Fellowship Auditorium and Block E Learning Centre at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK, from the 14 – 16 October 2026. Submissions for papers to be delivered at the conference are welcomed from all those with an interest in intelligence history. This includes current and former intelligence practitioners, established academics, junior and early career scholars, and private researchers, as well as interested members of the public.

Submissions are therefore particularly welcomed which cover subjects accessible to an interested non-academic audience, as well as academic and specialist topics. In addition to the plenary talks and panels, submissions are also invited of academic posters for display within the conference suite.

The theme of the 2026 conference is ‘International Collaboration and Co-operation’. Before, and during, World War Two Bletchley Park’s close working relationships with personnel from the USA, Poland and France had substantial and significant effects in the intelligence war against the Axis powers. From international agencies to individuals, the interconnectedness of intelligence can have a global reach. This conference dives into the details of what international relationships, of all kinds, have brought to intelligence successes and failures. Submissions are invited on topics including, but not limited to:

International collaboration, unsanctioned cooperation and inter-agency communication.
Intelligence-sharing, isolation and international boundaries.
Nationality, national identity and intelligence.
Signals intelligence, HUMINT, COMINT, espionage and criminal intelligence.
Intelligence as represented in popular culture and literature, including fiction, documentary, TV and film.
Public perceptions of intelligence practice and institutions.

Papers are also welcome on contemporary issues and events, but these should ideally be framed in a historical context. The theme of this conference is broader than just SIGINT, and submissions on all types of intelligence will be accepted and reviewed equally.

More details here.

2026 IAFIE Europe 2026 Annual Conference
Call for Papers: Practical Intelligence Education
Submissions Due: 31 January 2026
Conference: 8-10 September 2026
Brunel University of London, UK

The International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) Europe is delighted to announce its 2026 Annual Conference: “Practical Intelligence Education,” taking place on 8-10 September 2026, hosted by the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS) at Brunel University of London. The 2026 conference will be an opportunity to focus on pedagogical innovation, share best-practices, and highlight the value of practical teaching.

The conference will feature two thematic tracks:

Track 1 Theme: The Role and Value of Practical Exercises in Intelligence Education and Training

This track welcomes contributions that examine the use of practical exercises in intelligence education. This can include papers and panels that reflect on the effectiveness, design, and application of practical exercises. Proposals may also include the delivery of live, interactive exercises at the conference, offering the opportunity for attendees to experience them first-hand.

Track 2 Theme: Where is the State of the Art and Where Do We Need to Go Next?

This track invites proposals for panels and papers that showcase the latest developments in intelligence studies and explore future directions for the field. The aim is to encourage innovative, future-oriented thinking—even if the approaches have not yet been fully tested. Submissions may present tentative or preliminary research, as well as forward-looking and moderately speculative ideas about emerging challenges and opportunities.

More details here.

2026 IAFIE Global Annual Conference
Call for Papers: The Convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber and Intelligence on National Security Interests
Abstracts Due: 31 January 2026
Conference: 1-3 June 2026
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, USA

The International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) in partnership with the University of North Georgia invites submissions for its Annual Conference, "The Convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber, and Intelligence on National Security Interests", taking place in Dahlonega, Georgia in the United States of America (USA), from June 1st to 3rd, 2026. We welcome proposals from academics and practitioners in fields such as intelligence, security, strategic studies, cybersecurity, law enforcement, decision sciences, international relations, law, history, journalism, and communication, among others. Submissions should align with the conference theme and tracks, or related topics and may take the form of:

Fully Formed Panels (3-5 papers)
Roundtable Discussions (topic-focused discussions)
Standard Papers (individual papers assigned to panels)
Poster Presentations (interactive session)

More details here.

Call for Papers: Counter Threat Finance (CTF) in Strategic Competition and Hybrid Warfare
Submission Deadline: 31 January 2026

We are in an era of strategic competition characterized by persistent engagement below the threshold of conventional warfare. State and non-state actors increasingly exploit economic vulnerabilities and financial networks to achieve strategic objectives while maintaining plausible deniability. PRISM seeks to advance scholarly understanding of Counter Threat Finance (CTF) and Threat Finance and Economic Levers of Power (TFEL) as critical components of contemporary irregular warfare and strategic competition.

We welcome original research addressing, but not limited to, the following areas:

Economic Warfare and Financial Warfare in Strategic Competition.
Threat Finance Intelligence.
Counter Threat Finance Operations.
Innovation, Emerging Technology and Future Challenges in Counter Threat Finance.

Suggested areas for articles range from conceptual or doctrinal through to historical case studies and future horizon scanning.

Examples focus areas are:

Defining Economic Warfare and Financial Warfare.
Counter Threat Finance versus Threat Finance and Economic Levers of Power.
Case studies of Economic Warfare and Financial Warfare.
Allies’ and partners’ approaches to Counter Threat Finance.
Adversaries’ approach to Counter Threat Finance.
Threat Finance and Operations in the Information Environment (OIE).
Supply chain weaponization and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Integration of economic and financial tools in hybrid warfare campaigns.
State-sponsored criminal networks and their financing mechanisms.
Proxies, cutouts, and financial intermediaries in gray zone operations.
Financial intelligence collection and analysis methodologies.
Financial Intelligence as an intelligence discipline.
Emerging technologies and Counter Threat Finance.

More details here.

Intelligence and National Security Journal
Call for Papers: Special Issue on Psychology and Intelligence
Expressions of Interest: 1 February 2026 (Title/Abstract)
Initial Submission Deadline: 1 March 2027
Word Count: 7,000-10,000

Intelligence and National Security invites submissions for a special issue on Political Psychology and Intelligence. This issue seeks to highlight the intersection between intelligence gathering and analysis including career advancement, and the political and psychological factors that may influence it.

The special issue offers an opportunity to explore the ways in which intelligence gathering and analysis may be affected by political and psychological factors broadly constructed. This might include work on the way political or other biases might influence self-selection into intelligence work, procedures around recruitment, hiring and promotion, intelligence collection, analysis or interpretation of information. In addition, work that explores the way ubiquitous psychological biases can affect all aspects of the intelligence space, including the collection and processing of information is strongly encouraged.

The goal of the special issue is to highlight often unrecognized or ignored aspect of intelligence collection and analysis and to raise awareness of the role of psychological processes in intelligence. The journal of Intelligence and National Security is seeking research articles that investigate these themes in systematic and in-depth fashion. Articles enhancing theorical construction as well as empirical papers are welcome.

We invite research paper submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

The politicization of intelligence
Leadership analysis
The way specific psychological bias can influence intelligence collection or analysis
How psychology might be useful in counterintelligence programs
How psychological factors enter into decisions to join the intelligence community
How political bias can influence the interpretation of data
Personality effects on intelligence work
How and wheather psychological analysis of adversaries can provide useful information

Questions and inquiries can be sent via email to Rose_McDermottt@Brown.edu

2026 Joint Special Operations University Call for Papers
Submissions Due: 27 March 2026

As the university transforms in function and form in support of USSOCOM priorities, it is reintroducing the focus on short, impactful papers that promote discourse and spark idea generation across the SOF enterprise. These concise pieces help capture emerging concepts, highlight operational challenges, and identify opportunities for applied research—creating a vital link between education and operations. This effort aligns with JSOU’s transformation into a more command-aligned university that leverages “360-degree” thought leadership to drive innovation and influence SOF.

Topics were selected from the 2026 Special Operations Research Topics (SORT) booklet, which was developed with input from across the SOF enterprise. This year, JSOU revisited the SORT focus areas and selected a broad theme of technology in SOF, which offers a forward-looking lens that can inform future exercises, SOF AT&L requirements, SOF week discussions, fiction submissions, and more. Other than the fiction category, all submissions must align with one of the following SOF technology-related topics:

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Targeting
Next-Generation Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance/Tactically Relevant for Advanced Situational Awareness
Space-Cyber-SOF-STRATCOM Nexus: How to Build Capabilities Greater than the Sum of Its Individual Parts
Ethical, Legal, and Operational Challenges of AI-Driven Warfare and Autonomous Systems
NEXUS/Triad Strategic-Level Synthesis
Harnessing Data for Irregular Warfare
Digital Force Protections: Threats and Risks to SOF
Rapid All-Domain Fusion for SOF
SOF Use of Non-Government Hackers in Support of Strategic Objectives
Optimizing Drone Use and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Strategies

For more detail about the topics, including specific questions/prompts, please review the AY2026 Call for Special Operations Papers Memorandum, Appendix A. Papers must not exceed 5,000 words, excluding notes and references. All submissions must be unclassified. Submissions should be properly cited using Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition guidance with endnotes (no footnotes please) and follow JSOU Press Manuscript text preparation guidance. The online submission form and Microsoft Word document (emailed to callforpapers@jsou.edu) must be received by February 23, 2026 Late submissions are not accepted.

More details here.

International Journal of intelligence and CounterIntelligence
Call for Papers: Intelligence in the Third Wave of Democratization
Submissions Due: 30 March 2026
Author Notification: 31 July 2026
Revised Papers Due: 15 October 2026

Of democratic institution building reform, intelligence democratization-achieving and maintaining a trade-off between intelligence effectiveness and transparency-is one of the most challenging processes. The legacy of the past-the stigma associated with intelligence agencies' human rights abuses and the legacy personnel resistance and reluctance to reform, and lack of expertise in intelligence are but a few obstacles to institutionalizing effective intelligence agencies that are also transparent and accountable. This is an extremely timely topic. Across the world, we see signs of democratic backsliding, the re-emergence of authoritarian practices within democracies and unfinished reform agendas in many regions of the Third Wave. These dynamics make it timely to revisit both the successes and failures of intelligence democratization and to reflect on the lessons that past transitions can offer to current and future reformers.

This issue will bring together theoretical and empirical academic, policy, and practitioner perspectives on failures and progress in intelligence democratization worldwide. Topics of interest (not limited to):

Intelligence democratization reforms: failures and progress
Legal framework, human rights, democratic civilian control/oversight, and accountability
Transparency (including Freedom of Information Act (FOLA), media, outreach, and public trust in intelligence
Intelligence leaks and whistleblowing in a democracy
Cultural representation of intelligence-democracy
Intelligence politicization in a democracy
Intelligence professionalization and effectiveness in a democracy (recruitment practices, career paths, education training, ethics, interagency and international cooperation)
Transitional Justice (Access to files, Lustration, Vetting, and Committees on Truth and Reconciliation)
Foreign influence-including international organizations (EU, NATO, UN)-in intelligence democratization
Technology and intelligence democratization: friend or foe?
Reform as an unfinished or reversible process

More details here.