Professor Philip Davies
Professor - Intelligence Studies / Director of BCISS

Summary

Although born in England, I took my first two degrees in Canada then returned to pursue my PhD at Reading. After lecturing in Singapore, Reading and the University of Malaya I joined Brunel. On appointment here I co-founded the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies and developed the MA in Intelligence and Security Studies.  In 2008 I took over as BCISS Director, in which capacity I expanded BCISS as a University Interdepartmental Research Centre drawing in full and associate BCISS members from multiple different divisions, departments and colleges across the University.

My research is fundamentally practically-oriented, concerned with the nuts and bolts of how intelligence institutions work and their relationships with other, more overt aspects of the machinery of government as well as with international allies and partners. That work has focused mainly on national and defence intelligence functions, concepts and capabilities, looking not just at the UK's intelligence community but also those of the United States of America, India and Malaysia.

End-user impact is a central theme in my work, having spent six years leading Brunel's delivery of the basic intelligence assessment course for newly appointed analysts seconded to the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre (EU INTCEN), and having been centrally involved in crafting the current UK military Joint Intelligence Doctrine. In 2015 I was a member of a consultative panel of academics and other subject matter experts convened as part of the drafting of the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act. I am currently involved in a project on Defence and military counter-intelligence.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Brunel 2006)
• PhD Sociology (University of Reading, 1997)
• MA Social and Political Thought (York University, Canada, 1987)
• BA (Hons) Sociology (Trent University, Canada, 1984)