Spies, Lies and Intelligence

3-8 September 2006

Fifth in the Christ Church Autumn Series on the theme of Conflict

From the familiar historical certainties of World War II, through the treacheries and ultimate triumphs of the Cold War, we have emerged into an age when “Terror” is the Wests new political and security watchword.

The security services that protected us in the past have sharp new challenges before them, shadowy but mortal threats in a high-tech clandestine world.

The conference brings together authors, experts and intelligence practitioners or international standing and examines the evolution of intelligence, espionage and deception across more than half a century since the end of World War II.

The conference will look at the high and low points of the Cold War, as East and West confronted each other across an iron-curtained world: traitors and heros, spies and lies will all come under expert scrutiny. The development of computerised code-breaking from World War II’s Station X to todays digital fortresses in Britain, the USA and elsewhere around the world; the evolution of “Cyberwar” and an informed look ahead to the new threats and terrors will bring this expert examination of the contemporary world of intelligence right up to date.

In addition to the full lecture programme at Christ Church, University of Oxford, the conference includes tutored visits to the Museum of Defence Intelligence and Bletchley Park, home of the famous Enigma codebreakers.

The programme advisor is Robin Neillands, Military Historian, author and broadcaster.

Speakers include: Dr David Kahn, Amir Taheri, Professor Richard Aldrich, Dr Michael Goodman, Dr Stephen Weiss & Chapman Pincher.

Christ Church

Christ Church, one of the largest of Oxford’s colleges, was founded by Henry VIII in 1546. Today. Christ Church is home to about 550 students, reading a wide range of subjects in the arts and sciences.

Christ Church is also, uniquely, the Cathedral seat of Oxford and occupies a 150-acre site in the heart of the city. This includes the Meadow, a tranquil pasture preserved for centuries, and bounded by the Rivers Isis and Cherwell.