Hollywood has made big business of spy films and television for decades, but the truth of intelligence gathering has always been opaque, even in a democracy like the US. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Aki Peritz joins us to discuss intelligence and national security.

Peritz shares his definition of intelligence, discusses which US agencies gather intelligence (1:58), and dispels a DC urban legend about those who work for the CIA (5:10). He also explains how intelligence is collected and used during counterterrorism efforts (5:56) as well as how intelligence gathering has changed over the years (9:35).

What role will intelligence play in counterterrorism and national security in the future (15:13)? What role do ethics and civics play in intelligence and counterterrorism efforts (17:17)? Peritz answers these questions and explains what a reality show—which he appeared on—revealed about the intelligence field and the balance between liberty and security (20:07).

During our “Take Five” segment, Peritz shares five ways the intelligence community influences movies and TV and vice versa (11:20).