ABSTRACT

This chapter presents past experiences to evaluate contemporary ethical dilemmas related to the Human Terrain System that once again found intelligence agencies seeking help from academia. It discusses the historical development of cooperation between academia and governmental, military and intelligence agencies (GMI). The chapter focuses on the reasons behind the waning collaboration between social scientists and GMI in the 1970s. It also discusses the debate about ethical dilemmas associated with the Human Terrain System. The chapter also presents three future possible models of collaboration between social scientists and GMI: at the academic and think tank levels; at the strategic level and during the political decision-making process; and at the operational and tactical levels. It describes that the social sciences and social scientists can contribute to the reduction of pain and suffering of people during wars, however, it is necessary to understand the limits and boundaries of such engagement and possible abuses of such cooperation.