POLITICAL/CULTURAL ANALYSIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R001103890044-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 5, 2007
• Sequence Number: 44
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5
POLITICAL/CULTURAL ANALYSIS
Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5
 Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5
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I. Project Title: The Cultural Element in Political Analysis
II. Cost: FY-83 FY-84
$400K $400K
III. Description of Project:
A. Statement of Need
In the USG, analysis of the political life of foreign countries is an
art which seeks to explain and anticipate events and developments of impor-
tance to US policymakers. Full mastery of even the current state of the
art of foreign political analysis is difficult, requiring among other things
language fluency and a profound sense of place and history; the cultural
aspects of history are often those most inaccessible to the non-native,
the most difficult to master. Yet most country experts agree that these
aspects play an important role in shaping contemporary political life and
that a well-informed understanding of this role is essential to high quality
political analysis.
The primary purpose of this project is to enhance the quality of polit-
ical analysis by probing the impact that culture has on politics and providing
materials that will enable intelligence analysts more readily and reliably
to prepare culturally sensitive political analysis.
The secondary purpose of this project is to stimulate in the academic
sector additional multi-disciplinary, and preferably self-sustaining, effort
to advance knowledge of culture and politics in its theoretical, methodological
and practical dimensions. If it is determined that this can be accomplished
through the development of a national center of excellence for advanced
research, writing and teaching in this field, the Department of State's Bureau
of Intelligence and Research will be prepared to entertain follow-up proposals
for an appropriate USG role in that development.
B. Who Will Accomplish:
A carefully selected contractor who will work closely with a working
group of State Department Officials organized by INR.
C. What Is to Be Produced:
The project envisions four types of products:
1. A sophisticated checklist of politically salient aspects of culture,
with explanatory, illustrative, and comparative commentary to serve
as a guide to USG professionals concerned with foreign political
systems.
2. A series of concise and rigorous statements each dealing with
culture and politics in one of about ten selected countries designed
as an aid to USG analysts and other employees assigned to reporting,
representational, negotiating, policy development or other political
functions.
Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5
 Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5
3. A report, with recommendations, on techniques for conveying to
experienced USG foreign affairs professionals the type of advanced
cultural understanding embodied in the checklist and country
statements. The techniques should be those judged most effective
for use in short courses at the Foreign Service Institute.
4. A series of direct encounters between USG analysts and other
professionals, on the one hand, and outside scholars and experts
on the other. The meetings should be geared to the preparation
and review, of the materials specified above.
D. Payoff:
The materials on culture and politics are envisioned (a) as aids
through which experienced professionals called upon to apply their analytical
skills to a particular country can more reliably and rapidly develop the
advanced cultural understanding required, and (b) as materials for courses
at the Foreign Service Institute and other USG educational institutuions
in which country experts receive advanced training.
E. Time Phasing:
The Community funded aspect of the project will be evaluated at the
end of its first year and completed at the end of the second. At that
time, it will be determined whether to expand the project to other countries
under INR funding.
IV. Intelligence Community Applicability and Benefits:
Project results and products will be available to all Intelligence
Community and other USG analysts. The project will contribute to the
analyst's sensitivity and understanding of the cultural impacts on political
behavior and to the production of more rounded and accurate political
estimates.
V. Probability of Success:
The problem of the interaction of culture on politics is extremely
complex and is a crucial dimension of political behavior. The probability
of improving our understanding of this interaction is good.
Approved For Release 2007/07/05: CIA-RDP88B00443RO01103890044-5