Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL/LAW 326"
COURSE NAME: "Globalization and Crime"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2021

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Isabella Clough Marinaro
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: at least one 200-level course in Economics, International Affairs or Business
OFFICE HOURS: Tues and Thurs 6-7pm. Please email me to set a Teams appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students to debates surrounding the effects of globalization on the proliferation of crime across borders and the challenges of developing internationally effective policing and judicial mechanisms for combating this constantly mutating phenomenon. Areas of study include the trafficking of art and archaeology, fake fashion items, waste, narcotics, and arms, as well as the market in human beings for sex and organs, and the economic implications of criminal penetration in legal financial markets and the increasing connections between international crime groups and terrorism, the political and military influence of OCGs in failed states and the connections between criminal groups and various democratic governments.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course explores the ways in which organized criminal groups (OCGs) and activities are evolving as a result of globalization. It examines how the opening up of markets, transportation routes and communication technologies are facilitating ever more efficient and capillary illegal trades in goods and people. Areas of study include the trafficking of art and archaeology, fake fashion items, waste, narcotics, and arms, as well as the market in human beings for sex and organs. We examine the economic implications of growing criminal penetration in legal financial markets as well as the concerns for state security posed by the increasing connections between international crime groups and terrorism, the political and military influence of OCGs in failed states and the connections between criminal groups and various democratic governments. We will debate the challenges to fighting these phenomena and weigh up the implications for international stability, democracy, national sovereignty and the preservation of rights in attempts to develop global security responses.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

· Outline the problems of defining and measuring transnational organized crime groups and activities

· Outline the international agreements and strategies currently in place to fight TOC, and provide examples of effective mechanisms at national and regional levels

· Discuss the challenges and obstacles to developing more incisive measures to tackle global crime

· Demonstrate detailed factual knowledge of the various criminal groups, networks and sectors examined in the course

· Contextualize the criminal activities and markets within a firm knowledge of post-Cold War geopolitical developments

READINGS:

There is no set textbook for this course. Students will receive readings for every class on Moodle.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Final Exam	Essay-based exam in which students critically engage with the materials and debates presented in class lectures, discussions and readings	25%
Final Research Paper	Students will develop a research paper on one of the problems/issues discussed in the course and will debate its dynamics, impacts and possible solutions, drawing from class readings and further bibliographical research	30%
Class participation	Attendance (in person or remote) is mandatory unless there are serious health-related reasons. Participation is graded based on the student's comments, questions, active note-taking and general active engagement in class discussions and activities.	15%
Take-home assignment 1	A short-essay based assignment which tests that you can apply the material and concepts discussed in the class so far to real-life scenarios and debates. Detailed guidelines will be posted on Moodle.	15%
Take-home assignment 2	A short-essay based assignment which tests that you can apply the material and concepts discussed in the class so far to real-life scenarios and debates. Detailed guidelines will be posted on Moodle.	15%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for t
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performance demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Letter grades and corresponding percentages for this class

94 – 100 points = A

90 – 93.99 pts = A-

87 – 89.99 = B+

83 – 86.99 = B

80 – 82.99 = B-

77 – 79.99 = C+

70 – 76.99 = C

60 – 69.99 = D

59.99 – 0 = F

ATTENDANCE AND EXAMS POLICY

Attendance is mandatory for this class and you are expected to not miss any classes. If you have to miss a class for health reasons, I expect you to email me in advance so I can record the class for you. You should then watch the video and do all related activities and assignments as soon as possible. For non-health reasons, I will accept a maximum of 1 absence after which I will deduct 2% of your final grade for each class missed.

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until 8 May 2021.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Session

Session Focus

Reading and other assignments

NOTE: All readings are to be done

BEFORE THE SUBSEQUENT CLASS.

They are all available on Moodle

WK 1A

18 JAN

Introduction to the course

Naim, M. “Global smugglers are changing your world”
On Moodle

WK 1B

20 JAN

Defining and Measuring Transnational Organized Crime

United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000) (esp p5-12)

On Moodle

http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNTOC/Publications/TOC%20Convention/TOCebook-e.pdf

WK 2A

25 JAN

Liquid crime: Globalization and its deviances

Standing, A. (2011) Transnational Organized Crime and the Palermo Convention: A Reality Check

On Moodle

http://www.ipinst.org/2011/01/transnational-organized-crime-and-the-palermo-convention-a-reality-check

WK 2B

27 JAN

Practices and theories of transnational organized crime

EUROPOL (2020) Pandemic profiteering.

Foreign Policy (2020) How to run a criminal network during a pandemic.
On Moodle

WK 3A

1 FEB

Cont’d

Hobbs and Antonopoulos (2014) How to Research Organized Crime

On Moodle

WK 3B

3 FEB

Money laundering, the ‘clean’ economy and ‘gray’ economies

Levi, M. (2020). Making sense of professional enablers' involvement in laundering organized crime proceeds and of their regulation. Trends in Organized Crime, 2020, 1-15.

On Moodle

WK 4A

8 FEB

Money laundering cont’d

EUROPOL (2017) Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment

On Moodle

WK 4B

10 FEB

Cybercrimes

Do graded assignment 1 for Friday

Watch cybercrimes documentary (link on Moodle)

WK 4C

12 FEB

FRIDAY

MAKE-UP

Cont’d

Submit graded assignment 1

Watch counterfeiting documentary (link on Moodle)

Antonopoulos, G. A. et al (2019). The nature and dynamics of the counterfeiting business In Fake goods, real money: The counterfeiting business and its financial management. Polity.

WK 5A

15 FEB

Counterfeits and Intellectual Property Crimes

Hall, A., Koenraadt, R. M., & Antonopoulos, G. (2017). Illicit pharmaceutical networks in Europe: organising the illicit medicine market in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Trends in Organized Crime, 20, 3-4.

On Moodle

WK 5B

17 FEB

Counterfeits cont’d

ATHAR (2019) Facebook's black market in antiquities

On Moodle

WK 6A

22 FEB

Trafficking in art and antiquities cont'd

Polner, M. (2019) Preventing Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Objects: A Supply Chain Perspective. In Hufnagel, S., & Chappell, D. The Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime.

WK 6B

24 FEB

Cont'd

Work on outline for Research Project

(Guidelines on Moodle)

WK7A

1 MARCH

Human smuggling

Research project outlines due !!!!

Mehlman-Orozco, K. (June 01, 2020). Projected heroes and self-perceived manipulators: understanding the duplicitous identities of human traffickers. Trends in Organized Crime, 23, 2, 95-114.

On Moodle

WK 7B

3 MARCH

Trafficking in persons

SPRING

BREAK

WK 8A

15 MARCH

Organ trafficking

Kleemans (2014) Theoretical Perspectives on Organized Crime

WK 8B

17 MARCH

Theories of Organized Crime

Do graded assignment 2 for Monday

WK 9A

22 MARCH

Cocaine trafficking: global routes and methods

Submit graded assignment 2

UNODC (2020) World Drug Report

On Moodle

WK 9B

24 MARCH

Heroin and opiates.

Guardian (2019) How the heroin trade explains the UK/US failure in Afghanistan

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jan/09/how-the-heroin-trade-explains-the-us-uk-failure-in-afghanistan

WK 10A

29 MARCH

Synthetic drugs markets

Meehan (2011) Drugs, insurgency and state-building in Burma File

On Moodle

WK 10B

31 MARCH

Cannabis

Watch waste trafficking documentaries.

(Links on Moodle)

WK 11A

5 APRIL

NO CLASS

ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLDIAY

WK 11B

7 APRIL

NO CLASS

MAKE-UP DAY NEXT FRIDAY

WK 12A

12 APRIL

Environmental Crimes:

The illegal waste trade

UNODC (2020) World Wildlife Crime report

On Moodle

WK 12B

14 APRIL

Wildlife crimes

Wyatt, T., van, U. D., & Nurse, A. (May 11, 2020). Differentiating criminal networks in the illegal wildlife trade: organized, corporate and disorganized crime. Trends in Organized Crime, 23, 4, 350-366.

WK 12C

16 APRIL

FRIDAY MAKE-UP DAY

Crime, insurgency and state weakness

Asal, V., Milward, H., & Schoon, E. (2015). When terrorists go bad: Analyzing terrorist organizations’ involvement in drug smuggling.

On Moodle

WK 13A

19 APRIL

Cont’d

Final research projects due

WK 13B

21 APRIL

Fighting global crime: State of the art and best practice

Global Initiative (2019). Fragmented But Far-Reaching.

The UN System’s mandate and response to organized crime

WK 14A

26 APRIL

Cont’d

Global Initiative (2020). Reforming the response. What does Black Lives Matter tell us about tackling organized crime?

On Moodle

WK 14B

28 APRIL

Honors Student presentations

FINAL

EXAMS