Statecraft and secrets: The early modern roots of intelligence

The project examines the long-term significance of Swedish foreign espionage as a strategic tool in political decision-making from the 1600s to the 1900s.

The project focuses on identifying continuity and change over an extended time span and examines organisational structures, key actors and spies, operational practices, intelligence content and geographical scope. It will also analyse how intelligence activity adapted to geopolitical, constitutional and technological developments over time.

The project deepens the understanding of the older roots of the modern intelligence system, highlights the enduring significance of intelligence for Swedish statecraft, and situates Sweden’s development within a broader European context

The project is carried out in collaboration with Pontus Rudberg at the School of Business, Economics and Law's Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication.