1. What are some of the key challenges, questions and needs facing the intelligence community regarding social and behavioral developments (see below)?
2. What makes these challenges and questions important at this time and in the foreseeable future?
3. What are the anticipated national security benefits for addressing these challenges and questions?

In response to these questions, it is anticipated that white papers will consider challenges and questions across a range of SBS domains with possible implications for national security and intelligence analysis. Such areas may include (but are not limited to):
 

--  Developments likely to affect human life and human capacity (e.g., advances in skill assessment and training; enhancements of physical capabilities; massive urbanization and implications of megacities; treatment of diseases and migration of disease agents; and access to food, shelter, and/or healthcare)

-- Developments likely to affect social stability and social/political institutions and relationships between citizens and governments or employers (e.g., perceptions of equity and justice; enhanced capacity to identify individuals’ characteristics and tendencies; and advances in automation, emerging technologies and other changes to employment and communication)

-- Developments likely to affect governance, state capacity, and the viability of transnational regimes (e.g., expectations of government-provided services with regard to the varying characteristics and demographic profiles across populations; changes to government’s ability to satisfy the needs of citizens; and anticipation of fragmentation and consolidation of social and political units)
 

-- Development of global ideas and their uptake in different cultural and political contexts (e.g., social transmission of ideas through a variety of media and platforms; behaviors in response to strongly held beliefs; and implications for public well-being, trust in government, recruitment of terrorists and sympathizers; and destabilization of states) 

Please note that while this study is primarily focused on analysis (see Statement of Task); we also understand that collection plays a valuable role in facilitating the work of analysts. Thus, white papers identifying key challenges in the area of collection as they relate to the social and behavioral sciences are also welcome.

We thank you for taking the time to prepare and submit a white paper. The success of this decadal survey depends in large part on such input; it will be important that voices and ideas are heard from a broad range of disciplines and research communities. The information gathered from these white papers will be used solely to inform this project and the work of the committee.

A second call for white papers focused on SBS solutions to the IC challenges identified in this initial call for white papers will be announced mid-2017. To receive notifications of these requests, please sign up for the decadal survey listserv by emailing SBSDecadalSurvey@nas.edu.