The United Nations and the Rationale for Collective Intelligence ...

Chapter 1

Conceptual Framework
for Collective Action

Aside from the many doctrinal and institutional issues around the notion of UN intelligence capability, there also are countless conceptual barriers, which stifle thinking and the development of this subject. In fact, the theoretical tightrope imposed by mainstream theories, which restrict methods of enquiry that do not fit neatly with familiar assumptions regardless of the availability of convincing evidence, tends also to discourage scholars from exploring further afield for answers to such problems. An understanding of these mainstream concepts—their strengths, weaknesses, and impact on the notion of collective intelligence—enables us to gain greater insight into how such a system could work, and leads to the development of a methodological framework around which the empirical evidence could be investigated. This understanding would also result in the development of a model that identifies instances of material manifestation of a collective intelligence system in an organisation such as the UN, which may not be possible if traditional tools are used. It also