Cleaning Up its Act: The CIA on the Internet

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Abstract
The study reported here explores, by means of critical linguistic analysis, a selection of the documents in the Factbook on Intelligence section available on the server of the Central Intelligence Agency or CIA (URL http://www.ico.gov). The texts selected describe the genesis, history and activities of the CIA. While offering snippets of information about the CIA, these documents function principally to provide a corporate `image' or a `personality' that attempts to render the CIA and its activities legitimate and acceptable to those who might read these Internet pages. The positioning work the pages undertake involves two main constructive tasks: the creation of (a) a relation of subordination of the CIA in relation to the law and such named bodies as the President of the USA and (b) a positive `corporate' image for the CIA.

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