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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SOSC/LAW 322"
COURSE NAME: "Green Criminology"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026
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: Sophomore Standing. Recommended: SOSC/LAW221 or PL/LAW326
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores the fast-growing field of green criminology, which examines the causes, consequences, and legal responses to a wide range of environmentally destructive activities. These include catastrophes such as oil spills, systematically polluting extraction and production processes, illegal trades in hazardous materials – such as toxic waste – and natural resources like wildlife and timber, among others. It investigates the impacts that these activities have on human and ecosystem health and security, and identifies how vulnerability to these harms intersects with class, race, gender and geographical discrimination, disproportionately burdening underprivileged groups in advanced and less developed economies. The course unpacks how these activities are managed in international and domestic law and highlights gaps, loopholes, and contradictions among regulations, as well as tracing the political processes by which legal frameworks are developed and enforced. Finally, it explores the intensifying role of civil society activism in pushing for more effective prevention policies and reparatory justice mechanisms.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Green criminology is an expanding and evolving field that presents multiple debates on how best to define, explain and research the connections between environmental damage and crime. The course first outlines those debates and then introduces the wide range of actors involved. These include offenders – individuals and communities, organized criminal groups, corporations and governments – , the collectivities whose health and livelihoods are damaged, and the actors tasked with formulating and enforcing environmental laws and regulations. It explores the community-level and larger-scale political and economic factors that drive people to carry out environmentally harmful and illegal activities. Lectures then present an overview of the international agreements and common patterns in national legal frameworks governing environmental protection and damage. The discussion emphasizes their evolving nature, highlights cases of best practice and analyzes various challenges to effective implementation.

The second part of the course then takes a thematic approach, covering some of the most widespread and environmentally harmful criminal activities. Two classes are dedicated to each topic in this section. During the first, the professor explains the major debates, patterns and consequences associated with the crime. In the following class, students present specific case-studies that apply the broader debates to empirical examples and use these to make concrete recommendations for future deterrence and legal reform where appropriate.

The final section draws then broadens the scope of the discussion to include the perspectives of environmental activists and scholars arguing for more holistic approaches to preventing crimes and repairing the damage already done to ecosystems and human communities. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

·       Identify and summarize the core theoretical and methodological debates in contemporary Green Criminology

·       Conceptualize the macro-level political and economic forces driving illegal environmental activity as well as the formulation      and implementation of relevant laws and regulations

·       Explain the local-level social and cultural circumstances that contribute to illegal environmental practices

·       Describe the current state of international and select domestic laws regulating environmental activity

·       Critically analyze the strengths and weaknesses of legislative norms, administrative regulations and judicial case law pertaining to specific typologies of environmental crime and harm

·       Draw on quantitative and qualitative data from multiple sources to conduct research on criminological case-studies

·       Use theoretical debates and empirical data to recommend ethically sound and realistic improvements to the formulation and enforcement of policy, law and administrative regulations

 

There is no mandatory textbook. Students will be given access to journal articles, academic book chapters and institutional reports to read in preparation for each class. See the schedule and core bibliographic works listed below.

TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Handbook of Transnational Environmental Crime. Elliott, L. M., & Schaedla, W. H. (Eds.). (2016). Edward Elgar Publishing. 9781788118545 HV6401.H362016 
The Routledge international handbook of the crimes of the powerful Barak, G. (Ed.). (2020). Routledge. 0367581760, 9780367581763 HV6441 .R688 2020 

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and participation (including active discussion of readings)See grading rubric on Moodle15%
Oral presentation and analysis of case-studiesSee guidelines on Moodle25%
Final exam Essay-length questions25%
Mid-term examShort essay-based in-class exam15%
Discussion and notes on Making Liveable WorldsSee guidelines on Moodle 10%
Preliminary strategy for fighting green crimesSee guidelines on Moodle10%

-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 the course.
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 performances 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 REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

Attendance is mandatory for this class and you are expected to not miss any classes. A maximum of 2 unexcused absences are accepted, after which 2% of the final grade will be deducted 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 2026.

Grade scale. (This scale follows standard university policy)

A      =      94- 100%                    B      =      84-86%                          C-          =          70-73%

A-     =      90-93%                        B-     =      80-83%                          D+         =          67-69%

B+    =      87-89%                        C+    =      77-79%                          D           =          60-66%

                                                      C      =      74-76%                          F           =          0-59%

 
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

Topic

Readings/Documentaries.

To be done AFTER the lesson, in preparation for the following one

WK 1A

19 Jan

Introduction to the course: What is green criminology?

Lynch et al (2017) Green criminology. Chapter 1. Introduction: Green Criminology and Political Economy

WK 1B

21 Jan

Concepts, definitions, inter-disciplinary approaches.

GI-TOC (2025) A new Protocol for the UNTOC?

WK 2A

26 Jan

Political, economic and social drivers of environmental crimes

Hall, M. (2020) Environmental refugees as environmental victims. In Brisman, A., & South, N. (Eds.). Routledge international handbook of green criminology.

WK 2B

28 Jan

Human and non-human costs of environmental crimes

Lynch et al (2017) Green criminology. Ch. 10. The treadmill of environmental law

WK 3A

2 Feb

Introduction to environmental legislation

UNODC (2025) Global Analysis on Crimes that Affect the Environment – Part 1: Landscape of Criminalization

WK 3B

4 Feb

Theoretical perspectives in green criminology

De Nardin Budó, M. David Whyte: Ecocide: Kill the Corporation Before It Kills Us. Crit Crim 29, 963–966 (2021).

WK 3C

6 Feb

FRIDAY

MAKE-UP DAY


Theories cont’d

Students choose a case-study to discuss next class from: Lerner, S., & Brown, P. (2012). Sacrifice Zones: the Front Lines of Toxic Chemical Exposure in the United States. The MIT Press.

WK 4A

9 Feb

Pollution crimes

Watch Poisoned Air documentary

WK 4B

11 Feb

Student case-studies

Pollution crimes

Read Making Livable Worlds and take notes with guidelines

WK 5A

16 Feb

Feminist and postcolonial perspectives


Discuss Making Livable Worlds

Bradshaw. “State-Corporate Environmental Cover-Up: The Response to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.” State Crime Journal 3, no. 2 (2014): 163–81.

WK 5B

18 Feb

State-corporate environmental crimes

Lynch, M. J., Fegadel, A., & Long, M. A. (2021). Green Criminology and State-Corporate Crime: The Ecocide-Genocide Nexus with Examples from Nigeria. Journal of Genocide Research, 23(2), 236–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2020.1771998

WK 6A

23 Feb

Student case-studies

State-corporate crimes

Study for mid-term exam

WK 6B

25 Feb

Mid-term exam

van Herk & Bisschop (2020) E-waste in the twilight zone between crime and survival. In Brisman, A., & South, N. (Eds.). Routledge international handbook of green criminologyWatch Chemical Time Bomb documentary

WK 7A

2 March

Hazardous and electronic waste crimes.

Watch The Italian Mafia's Toxic Waste Trade documentary

WK 7B

4 March

Student case-studies:

waste crimes

Bedford, L., Mann, M., Foth, M., & Walters, R. (2022). A post-capitalocentric critique of digital technology and environmental harm: New directions at the intersection of digital and green criminology. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 11(1), 167–181.

SPRING

BREAK

WK 8A

16 March

Digital/new technologies and environmental harms

Watch documentary: The cobalt challenge - The dark side of the energy transition

WK 8B

18 March

Student case-studies: Digital/new technologies and environmental harms

UNODC (2025) Minerals Crime pp-28-40

WK 9A

23 March

War/conflict and environmental crimes

van Uhm, et al. (2020). The convergence of environmental crime with other serious crimes: Subtypes within the environmental crime continuum. European Journal of Criminology.

WK 9B

25 March

Student case-studies

War/conflict and environmental crimes

The Index Podcast: How cocaine is driving deforestation in the Amazon

WK 10A

30 March

GUEST LECTURE:

Drug trafficking and environmental harms

Boekhout van Solinge, T. (2020) The Amazon Rainforest. A green criminological perspective. In Brisman, A., & South, N. (Eds.). Routledge international handbook of green criminology

WK 10B

1 April

Student case-studies. Intersections of environmental and other crimes (drugs, human trafficking, arms trafficking etc)

UNODC (2025) Forest Crime (extracts)

WK 11A

6 April

NO CLASS

ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY

WK 11B

8 April

Forest crimes, water and food security

van Uhm, D. (2020) Wildlife trafficking and criminogenic asymmetries in a globalised world. In Brisman, A., & South, N. (Eds.). Routledge international handbook of green criminology.

WK 12 A

13 April

Student case-studies

Forest crimes/water and food security

Watch Modern Day Slaves of Thailand documentary

WK 12 B

15 April

Wildlife and fisheries crimes

Brown D. Boyd D. S. Brickell K. Ives C. D. Natarajan N. & Parsons L. (2021). Modern slavery, environmental degradation and climate change: fisheries, fields, forests and factories. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1177/2514848619887156

WK 13A

20 April

Student case-studies

Wildlife and fisheries crimes

LSE (2025) Global trends in climate change litigation

WK 13B

22 April

Guest discussion on litigation

Group A: Lynch et al (2017) Green Criminology. Ch. 11. Environmental social movements and environmental nongovernmental organizations

Group B: Nurse, A. (2020) Pirates or protectors?: a critical perspective on extreme environmental activism. In Brisman, A., & South, N. (Eds.). Routledge international handbook of green criminology.

WK 14A

27 April

Preparing project: strategies for fighting green crimes

WK 14B

29 April

Preparing project: strategies for fighting green crimes

Final Exam