Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

"Why spy" - en jämförande studie av spionfallen Ames, Hanssen och Kia

Sandmer, Rasmus LU and Wollstad, Amanda LU (2024) UNDA23 20241
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This study explores similarities and differences between three spy cases, the American cases Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen during the Cold War era and the recent Swedish case Peyman Kia. Based on a psychological theory that predicts espionage by three essential factors; a dysfunctional personality, a state of crisis and ease of opportunity, these factors are applied to the cases and explores their relations and plausible impact on the mutual outcome - to become a spy. Using process-tracing, we try to identify crucial events that could explain their motives. The study concludes that all cases have elements of a dysfunctional personality such as psychopathic, narcissistic and immature personality traits, a perceived crisis in the form of... (More)
This study explores similarities and differences between three spy cases, the American cases Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen during the Cold War era and the recent Swedish case Peyman Kia. Based on a psychological theory that predicts espionage by three essential factors; a dysfunctional personality, a state of crisis and ease of opportunity, these factors are applied to the cases and explores their relations and plausible impact on the mutual outcome - to become a spy. Using process-tracing, we try to identify crucial events that could explain their motives. The study concludes that all cases have elements of a dysfunctional personality such as psychopathic, narcissistic and immature personality traits, a perceived crisis in the form of financial strain and opportunity in the form of employment at intelligence services and access to classified information. The study also concludes that the underlying motives of espionage often are highly complex and multifaceted and not as simple as just “money”. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Sandmer, Rasmus LU and Wollstad, Amanda LU
supervisor
organization
course
UNDA23 20241
year
type
L2 - 2nd term paper (old degree order)
subject
keywords
spionage, motiv, personlighetsdrag, process-tracing
language
Swedish
id
9154659
date added to LUP
2024-06-18 09:25:45
date last changed
2024-06-18 09:25:45
@misc{9154659,
  abstract     = {{This study explores similarities and differences between three spy cases, the American cases Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen during the Cold War era and the recent Swedish case Peyman Kia. Based on a psychological theory that predicts espionage by three essential factors; a dysfunctional personality, a state of crisis and ease of opportunity, these factors are applied to the cases and explores their relations and plausible impact on the mutual outcome - to become a spy. Using process-tracing, we try to identify crucial events that could explain their motives. The study concludes that all cases have elements of a dysfunctional personality such as psychopathic, narcissistic and immature personality traits, a perceived crisis in the form of financial strain and opportunity in the form of employment at intelligence services and access to classified information. The study also concludes that the underlying motives of espionage often are highly complex and multifaceted and not as simple as just “money”.}},
  author       = {{Sandmer, Rasmus and Wollstad, Amanda}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"Why spy" - en jämförande studie av spionfallen Ames, Hanssen och Kia}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}