Intelligence as a discipline, not just a practice

This paper is a call for a new research agenda for the topic of intelligence studies as a scientific discipline counterbalancing the present domination of research in the art of intelligence or intelligence as a practice. I argue that there is a need to move away from a narrow perspective on practice to pursue a broader understanding of intelligence as an organizational discipline with all of its complexities where the subject is seen more critical and is allowed to reflect on itself as a topic. This path will help intelligence academics connect to theoretical developments gained elsewhere and move forward, towards establishing more of an intelligence science. The article is a critic of what the author sees as a constructionist line of thinking. Instead the author presents a theory of intelligence as learning how to “muddle through” influenced more by organizational theory. The author also argues for an independent scientific journal in Intelligence [article was originally presented in 2009, before the appearance of JISIB]