This course aims to introduce 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. It aims to engage students in discussions concerning the difficulties of defining and measuring fluid and covert activities, and seeks to highlight the complex interconnections between criminal earnings and the legal economy, and between criminal interests and state and non-state actors. Through in-depth exploration of various sectors in which transnational crime is increasingly active, from art trafficking to the illegal waste trade, students are encouraged to move beyond simplistic dichotomies of ‘legal’ vs ‘illegal’, ‘right’ vs ‘wrong’ and to address the many ways in which non-criminal actors participate in these processes and markets.

The course is intended for students of International Affairs and should also appeal to Business, Economics and Art History students. 

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.

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

Students will be provided with a reader containing journal articles and chapters from the following books.

Allum, F. and Siebert, R. (eds) (2008) Organised Crime and the Challenge to Democracy, Routledge

Allum, F. et al (eds) (2010) Defining and Defying Organized Crime, Routledge

Allum, F. and Gilmour, S. (2011) Routledge Handbook of Transnational Organised Crime, Routledge

Bhattacharyya, G. (2005) Traffick: The Illicit Movement of People and Things, Pluto

Charney, N. (ed) (2009) Art and Crime, Praeger

Gilman, N., Goldhammer, J. and Weber, S. (eds) Deviant Globalization: Black Market Economy in the 21^st Century, Continuum

Gottschalk, P (2009) Policing Organized Crime, CRC Press (electronic book) 

Madsen, F. (2009) Transnational Organised Crime, Routledge

Mallory, S. (2011) Understanding Organized Crime, Jones and Bartlett

Naim, Moises (2007) Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy, Arrow

Roth, M.  (2010) Global Organized Crime: A Reference Handbook, ABC-CLIO

Siegel, D. and Nelen, H. (eds) (2008) Organized Crime: Culture, Markets and Policies, Springer (electronic book) 

United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000)

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (2010) “The Globalization of Crime”

http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tocta/TOCTA_Report_2010_low_res.pdf

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work 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.

B:  This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This 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.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

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

SCHEDULE