Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil, Centre de Recherches Sémiotiques in Limoges, France, lenzirafael.rgl@gmail.com
This paper examines the concept of secret spaces as perceived throughout the CIA guides Some operational applications of the art of deception and Recognition signals. Two situational instructions are addressed: the recognition between agents in public spaces and the transmission of objects. In the first case, the concept of secret space lies under the public space, which is the foreseen scenario for the act. It encompasses a secret space shared between agents, who must perform a particular activity while not attracting attention. Mostly the nature of the space dictates which sign must be used for recognition. In the second case, which might be a continuation of the first one, the object passed between agents should always be inside another one: as a “normality cover”, the exterior object works simultaneously as a continuity sign for the surrounding space and as a secret space containing the required object. In both cases the functional and social normality is the main line that must be strictly followed, establishing a continuity that cannot be broken. Considering such matters, our purpose is to investigate the nature of secret spaces regarding the encompassing public space, and how the situational events relate to the encompassing space.
secret; public spaces; signaling; espionage; semiotics
Download textFor citing: Lenzi R.G. (2023). Secret spaces: analysis of CIA’s deception instructions for field agents during the cold war. Human being: Image and essence. Humanitarian aspects. Moscow: INION RAN. Vol. 1(53): Spatial semiotics: architecture, place and sign, pp. 51-64. DOI: 10.31249/chel/2023.01.03