The dramaturgy of the Danish intelligence scandal

Abstract This article investigates the DDIS scandal in Denmark through the lens of Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory, focusing on the performative dimensions of the case and its portrayal in the media. We explore how this scandal, situated in a Scandinavian high-trust context, contributes to broader debates on intelligence accountability – an area predominantly examined in Anglo-Saxon settings. Drawing on a qualitative document analysis of media coverage, we argue that the scandal, whether framed as an intelligence or political affair, reveals a breakdown in dramaturgical discipline among key actors, challenging public perceptions of legitimacy and control. However, this breakdown has not yet translated into significant changes in intelligence practices or societal norms regarding intelligence oversight. Reflecting on de Blic and Lemieux’s notion of scandals as tests of societal norms, we find that pre-existing norms of high trust in intelligence authorities remain largely unaffected. Instead, criticism was absorbed through a reframing of the scandal as a complex, political, and person-centred issue, with the primary implication being increased secrecy and political control rather than enhanced accountability.