Université populaire de la rationalité et de l'esprit critique #9 - Clément Renault (Conférence)

"Analyzing in Information Chaos: An Introduction to Intelligence Service Methods," ninth lecture in the series presented by the Popular University of Rationality and Critical Thinking (UPREC) and initiated by Gérald Bronner. Presented by Clément Renault, June 2, 2026 Richelieu Amphitheater, Sorbonne University Learning to reason in order to thrive in a complex information environment is the very purpose of this popular university of rationality and critical thinking. Long before this issue became a societal concern, a particular category of individuals had to learn to face these intellectual challenges: intelligence analysts. Collecting, processing, sourcing, evaluating, prioritizing, and cross-referencing partial, paradoxical, or even manipulated information to best inform the strategic decisions of states is at the heart of the analyst's work. This presentation aims to provide listeners with a concrete and practical introduction to the analytical tools and techniques used by intelligence services to address these cognitive challenges. The lecture will be led by Clément Renault, a historian of international relations and researcher specializing in intelligence, warfare, and strategy at IRSEM (Institute for Strategic Research of the Military Academy), as part of the Popular University of Rationality and Critical Thinking series initiated by Gérald Bronner and the Cultural Affairs Department of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Sorbonne University, with the support of the SOUND project and the Descartes Foundation. Technical coordination, sound engineering, and recording: Yann Domenech Video capture: Maxence Magniez, Enora Zinck Video editing: Noa Lacour Post-production and color grading: Maxence Magniez and Noa Lacour Link to documentation and resources: https://dropsu.sorbonne-universite.fr... Video credits: Cultural Affairs Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Sorbonne University