1. Explain core dynamics associated with organised crime
2. Develop a critical understanding of conceptual debates over ‘organised’ and ‘crime’
3. Organise key discussion points related to different aspects of organised crime
4. Consider the development of and solutions to organised crime problems

An essay of 2500 words.

The essay will contain two parts -

Part 1) will consist of 2 answers to seminar questions that we will discuss each week. Each answer will be approximately 500 words in length

Part 2) will consist of a third essay of 1,500 words. This third essay will allow you to specialise on a topic of your choice (negotiated with the module leader).

Each essay should include intext citations. Please produce one amalgamated reference list at the end of the document. The essay will contain discussion on the complexity of organised crime, its transnational connections, as well as how it interlinks with illicit and licit structures within society. Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 are met by completion of this essay.

Opportunities for formative assessment provided in the module, learners will receive feedback on formative assessment during the workshop

The module will focus on the complex, disputed, and sometimes contradictory dynamics of organised crime in contemporary settings, paying particular attention to forms of organisation, mafias, drugs, people and arms trade, states, transnational corporations and illegal practices. Students will consider case studies in-depth.

The purpose of this module is to examine different forms of organised crime in historical and contemporary settings. Particular attention will be given to the complex nature of organised crime, mafias, drugs, people and arms trades, as well as the role of states and corporations in relation to organised criminal activity. There will be a range of case studies, theoretical concepts, and other critical issues for students to work through in order to demonstrate their understanding of core content.

26 hours will be taken up with class contact. 174 hours will be guided independent learning. Class contact will comprise of lectures and seminars, which will be linked to the course material, assignment preparation, and guidance to work independently with source materials.

Albanese, J. (2015) Organized Crime: From the Mob to Transnational Organized Crime. 7th edn. London: Routledge.
Galeotti, M. (ed.) (2005) Global Crime Today: The Changing Face of Organised Crime. London: Routledge.
Paoli, L. (ed.) (2014) The Oxford Handbook of Organized Crime. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

- The University library
- PCs with standard suite of University software providing access to email, the internet, word processing, etc.
- Lecture rooms with access for disabled students, and suitable for group work.
- The Blackboard virtual learning environment.
- Full-text journals database for criminology (SAGE).