A compelling history of the dark arts of statecraft... Fascinating' Jonathan Rugman 'Rich in
anecdote and detail.' The Times Today's world is in flux. Competition between the great powers
is back on the agenda and governments around the world are turning to secret statecraft and the
hidden hand to navigate these uncertain waters. From poisonings to electoral interference
subversion to cyber sabotage states increasingly operate in the shadows while social media
has created new avenues for disinformation on a mass scale. This is covert action: perhaps the
most sensitive - and controversial - of all state activity. However for all its supposed
secrecy it has become surprisingly prominent - and it is something that has the power to
affect all of us. In an enthralling and urgent narrative packed with real-world examples Rory
Cormac reveals how such activity is shaping the world and argues that understanding why and how
states wield these dark arts has never been more important.
