JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL/LAW 326"
COURSE NAME: "Globalization and Crime"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2025

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: Prerequisites: Junior Standing or permission of the instructor
OFFICE HOURS: Friday mornings. Please email me to set up 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 links to 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	30%
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%
Mid-term Exam	In-class short-essay exam covering the core concepts and criminal trades discussed so far	25%

-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:

ATTENDANCE AND EXAMS POLICY

Attendance is mandatory for this class and you are expected to not miss any classes. I will accept a maximum of 2 absences after which I will deduct 2% of your final grade for each class missed, unless I receive an excused absence email from the Dean's Office.

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 12 Dec.

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

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/assignment

NOTE: All readings are to be done before the next class

WK 1 A

1 Sept

Introduction to the course

Video: Criminal Contagion

WK 1 B

3 Sept

Defining and Conceptualizing Organized Crime

Ch. 11, Van Lampe, K. The practice of transnational organized crime in Allum, F., & Gilmour, S. (2022). The Routledge handbook of transnational organized crime (2nd edition). Routledge.

WK 2 A

8 Sept

Liquid transnational crime in maps, numbers and practice

UN Convention of Transnational Organized Crime (esp until p12)

Optional: GI-TOC (2020) The Promise of Palermo. A political history of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

WK 2 B

10 Sept

UN TOC

Logistics of criminal enterprise

Video: HSBC: Tax Evasion, Money Laundering for the Mafia & Currency Manipulation

Optional: Pol, Ronald F. (2020) Anti-money laundering: The world's least effective policy experiment? Together, we can fix it, Policy Design and Practice, 3:1, 73-94

WK 3 A

15 Sept

Money laundering: the ‘clean’ and ‘gray’ economies

Europol: Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) 2023

WK 3 B

17 Sept

Cybercrimes

Ch. 18. Wall, D. Cybercrime as a transnational organized criminal activity in Allum, F., & Gilmour, S. (2022). The Routledge handbook of transnational organized crime (2nd edition). Routledge.

WK 4 A

22 Sept

Cybercrimes cont’d

Video: Counterfeiting documentary

WK 4 B

24 Sept

Counterfeiting

Antonopoulos, G. A. et al (2018). The nature and dynamics of the counterfeiting business In Fake goods, real money: The counterfeiting business and its financial management

WK 5 A

29 Sept

Counterfeits cont’d

Video: Antiquities trafficking documentary

WK 5 B

1 Oct

Trafficking in art and antiquities

Mackenzie, S. (2020) Antiquities trafficking. In Transnational Criminology: Trafficking and Global Criminal Markets. Bristol University Press.

Optional: ATHAR (2019) Facebook's black market in antiquities

WK 6 A

6 Oct

Trafficking in art and antiquities cont'd

WK 6 B

8 Oct

MID-TERM EXAM

Kleemans (2014) Theoretical Perspectives on Organized Crime. In Paoli, L. (Ed.) The Oxford handbook of organized crime

WK 7 A

13 Oct

Thinking theoretically about TOC

GI-TOC Podcast: The Long Tail: Cross-Channel Migrant Smuggling (France to the UK)

WK 7 B

15 Oct

Human smuggling

Ch 13. Aranowitz, A and Veldhuizen, M. The human trafficking–organized crime nexus in Allum, F., & Gilmour, S. (2022). The Routledge handbook of transnational organized crime (2nd edition). Routledge.

WK 8 A

20 Oct

Trafficking in persons

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

WK 8 B

22 Oct

Trafficking cont’d

ICAT (2021) Trafficking in Persons for the Purpose of Organ Removal

WK 9 A

27 Oct

Organ trafficking

Global Initiative (2021) The Cocaine Pipeline to Europe

WK 9 B

29 Oct

Cocaine trafficking

Research paper outline due

Mackenzie, S. (2020) Drug trafficking. In Transnational Criminology: Trafficking and Global Criminal Markets. Bristol University Press.

WK 10 A

3 Nov

Heroin and opiates

GI-TOC Podcast: Fentanyl and Third Gen Gangs Latin America (69 mins)

WK 10 B

5 Nov

Synthetic drugs markets

Research project outlines due

Rêgo, X., Oliveira, M.J., Lameira, C. et al. (2021) 20 years of Portuguese drug policy - developments, challenges and the quest for human rights. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 16, 59 (2021).

WK 11 A

10 Nov

Cannabis

Regulation-legalization debates

Waste trafficking documentaries

WK 11 B

12 Nov

Environmental Crimes:

The illegal waste trade

Ch 15. Bisschop, L. and van Wingerde, K. Transnational organized environmental crime in Allum, F., & Gilmour, S. (2022). The Routledge handbook of transnational organized crime (2nd edition). Routledge.

WK 12 A

17 Nov

Wildlife crimes

Shaw, D.I (2019) The Crime-Conflict Nexus: Connecting Cause and Effect

WK 12 B

19 Nov

Cont’d

Finish research projects

Optional: GI-TOC Podcast: Russia, War & Organized Crime

WK 13 A

24 Nov

Conflict and crime

Guest Speaker

Final research projects due

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

WK 13 B

26 Nov

Crime, insurgency and state weakness

Ch. 33 Reitano, T and Shaw, M. The global fight against TOC. The evolution of approaches and their effectiveness in Allum, F., & Gilmour, S. (2022). The Routledge handbook of transnational organized crime (2nd edition). Routledge.

WK 14 A

1 Dec

Fighting global crime

WK 14 B

3 Dec

Preparing for final exam

FINAL EXAM