Global Criminal Organizations
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course deals with the main features and dynamics of global criminal organizations by employing a socio-economic perspective. Its learning objectives are the following: 1) to provide students with the main definitions of global criminal organizations -from organized crime to criminal networks; 2) to provide students with knowledge on the involvement of global criminal organizations in legal and illegal markets; 3) to provide students with knowledge on the structures and modus operandi of global criminal organizations : i.e. hierarchical or loose configurations; division of labour; use of violence and/or corruption; routes of trafficked illicit goods or persons; relationships among different criminal organizations and various sectors of the criminal network; criminal groups' use of information and communication technology, etc.. 4) to provide students with knowledge on the global spread of the Italian mafias, including Cosa nostra, 'Ndrangheta and Camorra.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire knowledge and understanding of: 1) the main definitions of global criminal organizations elaborated by various institutions, including universities, law enforcement agencies, international organizations, think tanks, NGOs, and by the media; 2) the main activities (legal and illegal) and methods of global criminal organizations; 3) the criminal, socio-economic and cultural factors influencing global criminal organizations' modus operandi; 4) the impact of global criminal organizations' activities in terms of breaching human rights.
Students will develop the ability to: 1) apply knowledge and understanding of global criminal organizations in relation to the main challenges posed by these organizations to society and economy at international and local level; 2) to read critically and contrast official and media representations of global criminal organizations; 3) to read in-depth and critically sources for analysing the development of criminal global organizations, including reports issued by international organizations and by law enforcement, judicial files and first-hand accounts of witnesses; 4) to communicate clearly and through an appropriate language data and analyses about complex issues related to global criminal organizations and countermeasures to tackle them. Given that criminal organizations are increasingly becoming a crucial actors of contemporary society, the above abilities are fundamental, in order to improve the understanding of global societies and international policies.
Students will develop the ability to: 1) apply knowledge and understanding of global criminal organizations in relation to the main challenges posed by these organizations to society and economy at international and local level; 2) to read critically and contrast official and media representations of global criminal organizations; 3) to read in-depth and critically sources for analysing the development of criminal global organizations, including reports issued by international organizations and by law enforcement, judicial files and first-hand accounts of witnesses; 4) to communicate clearly and through an appropriate language data and analyses about complex issues related to global criminal organizations and countermeasures to tackle them. Given that criminal organizations are increasingly becoming a crucial actors of contemporary society, the above abilities are fundamental, in order to improve the understanding of global societies and international policies.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The course's programme is divided in three parts:
1) The first part will discuss the definition of global criminal organizations by focussing on the international debate on the concepts of organized crime and transnational organized crime;
2) The second part will deal with the features of global criminal organizations by analysing their structures - from hierarchical to network models -, and methods - from violence to corruption;
3) The third part will explore the activities carried out by global criminal organizations by analysing their participation in some markets and trafficking, like arms, drugs and human beings.
1) The first part will discuss the definition of global criminal organizations by focussing on the international debate on the concepts of organized crime and transnational organized crime;
2) The second part will deal with the features of global criminal organizations by analysing their structures - from hierarchical to network models -, and methods - from violence to corruption;
3) The third part will explore the activities carried out by global criminal organizations by analysing their participation in some markets and trafficking, like arms, drugs and human beings.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no prerequisites.
Teaching methods
The course forsees teacher-led lessons, lectures given by experts, reading of primary sources - such as judicial files, law enforcement agencies' reports and first-hand accounts of witnesses - and students' presentations.
Teaching Resources
Reading list for the exam: attending students
Catino Maurizio, Italian Organized Crime since 1950, 49 Crime & Just. 17 (2020), pp. 69-140.
Ingrascì Ombretta Exploring Organized Crime Beyond Institutional Sources, in Díaz Fernández A., Del Real C., Molnar L. (edited by), Fieldwork Experiences in Criminology and Security. Methods, Ethics and Emotions, Springer, New York, 2023, pp. 341- 357.
Ingrascì, Ombretta, Gender and Organized Crime in Italy. Women's Agency in the Italian Mafias, IB Tauris, London, 2021 ( chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5).
Paoli Letizia, What Makes Mafias Different?, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), pp. 141-222.
Varese Federico, Ethnographies of Organized Crime, in The Oxford Handbook of Ethnographies of Crime and Criminal Justice, Edited by Sandra M. Bucerius, Kevin D. Haggerty, and Luca Berardi, Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 340-360.
Reading list for the exam: non-attending students
Ingrascì, Ombretta, Gender and Organized Crime in Italy. Women's Agency in the Italian Mafias, IB Tauris, London, 2021 (chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5).
Mackenzie, Simon, Transnational Criminology: Trafficking and global criminal markets, Bristol University Press, Bristol, 2020.
Jacobs James B., The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime in the United States, 49 Crime & Just. 17 (2020), pp.17-67.
Paoli Letizia, What Makes Mafias Different?, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), pp. 141-222.
Varese Federico, How Mafias Migrate: Transplantation, Functional Diversification, and Separation, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), 289-337.
Catino Maurizio, Italian Organized Crime since 1950, 49 Crime & Just. 17 (2020), pp. 69-140.
Ingrascì Ombretta Exploring Organized Crime Beyond Institutional Sources, in Díaz Fernández A., Del Real C., Molnar L. (edited by), Fieldwork Experiences in Criminology and Security. Methods, Ethics and Emotions, Springer, New York, 2023, pp. 341- 357.
Ingrascì, Ombretta, Gender and Organized Crime in Italy. Women's Agency in the Italian Mafias, IB Tauris, London, 2021 ( chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5).
Paoli Letizia, What Makes Mafias Different?, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), pp. 141-222.
Varese Federico, Ethnographies of Organized Crime, in The Oxford Handbook of Ethnographies of Crime and Criminal Justice, Edited by Sandra M. Bucerius, Kevin D. Haggerty, and Luca Berardi, Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 340-360.
Reading list for the exam: non-attending students
Ingrascì, Ombretta, Gender and Organized Crime in Italy. Women's Agency in the Italian Mafias, IB Tauris, London, 2021 (chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5).
Mackenzie, Simon, Transnational Criminology: Trafficking and global criminal markets, Bristol University Press, Bristol, 2020.
Jacobs James B., The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime in the United States, 49 Crime & Just. 17 (2020), pp.17-67.
Paoli Letizia, What Makes Mafias Different?, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), pp. 141-222.
Varese Federico, How Mafias Migrate: Transplantation, Functional Diversification, and Separation, 49 Crime & Just. (2020), 289-337.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Evaluation of attending students is based on:
1) engagement into class activities and discussion in the classroom (10% of evaluation);
2) class presentation (30% of evaluation): divided in small groups students are expected to give a power point presentation on one of the course's topics (chosen and agreed with the teacher at the beginning of the course);
3) oral exam (60% of evaluation) evaluating:
- the students' knowledge about the course' topics, with reference both to the lectures and the material foreseen in the program for attending students;
- students' capacity to critically read the sources analysed in class during the course;
- student's capacity to correctly express themselves using terms and notions appropriate to the course's content.
Evaluation of non-attending students is based on an oral exam that is intended to evaluate:
1) the students' knowledge about the course' topics, with reference to the book and essays indicated for non-attending students;
2) student's capacity to correctly express themselves using terms and notions appropriate to the course's content.
1) engagement into class activities and discussion in the classroom (10% of evaluation);
2) class presentation (30% of evaluation): divided in small groups students are expected to give a power point presentation on one of the course's topics (chosen and agreed with the teacher at the beginning of the course);
3) oral exam (60% of evaluation) evaluating:
- the students' knowledge about the course' topics, with reference both to the lectures and the material foreseen in the program for attending students;
- students' capacity to critically read the sources analysed in class during the course;
- student's capacity to correctly express themselves using terms and notions appropriate to the course's content.
Evaluation of non-attending students is based on an oral exam that is intended to evaluate:
1) the students' knowledge about the course' topics, with reference to the book and essays indicated for non-attending students;
2) student's capacity to correctly express themselves using terms and notions appropriate to the course's content.
SPS/09 - ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY OF WORK AND ORGANIZATIONS - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Ingrasci' Ombretta
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