Globalisation - Topic 8

  1. Define Globalisation:

    - The increasing interconnectedness of societies: what happens in one locality is shaped by distant events and vice versa

  2. List some of the causes of globalisation:

    - The new spread of ICT

    - Influence of global mass media

    - Cheap air travel

    - Deregulation of financial and other markets

The Global Criminal Economy

  1. According to Held, what causes the spread of transnational organised crime

    - There has been a globalisation of crime, the increasing interconnectedness of crime across national borders

  2. According to Castells (1998), what is the value of the global criminal economy?

    - £1 trillion per annum

  3. Briefly outline 6 examples of global crime:

    - Trafficking arms and nuclear materials

    - Smuggling illegal immigrants

    - Trafficking in women and children

    - Sex Tourism

    - Cybercrime

    - Green crime and terrorism

  4. Which countries make up the demand side of the global criminal economy?

    - The rich countries in the West.

  5. Use an example to highlight how the supply side of global crime is linked to the globalisation process:

    - The drugs trade is worth an estimated $300-400 billion annualy at street prices. Money laundering of the profits from organised crime is estimated at $1.5m trillion annually.

Global risk conciousness:

  1. Use an example to explain what is meant by ‘risk conciousness’:

    - Risk is now seen as global rather than tied to particular places. Eg: Economic migrants and asylum seekers fleeing persecution have given the West rising anxiety.

  2. What is the role of the media in creating fears?

    - Media creates moral panics about supposed ‘threats’.

  3. What has been the result of risk conciousness of immigration in the Uk and Europe?

    - The UK has had to tighten its borders and border control regulation

Globalisation, capitalism and crime:

  1. According to Taylor (1997), how has globalisation led to changes in the pattern and extent of crime?

    - Globalisation has increased economic inequality, creating new opportunities for TNC and exploitation

  2. Briefly explain how globalisation changes patterns of work:

    - TNC’s can now switch manufacturing to low-wage countries for higher profits, this produces job insecurity, poverty and unemployment.

  3. What is the impact of marketisation on lifestyles?

    - Marketisation promotes consumerism, individualism and economic competition, influencing more materialistic and fragmented lifestyle

  4. Briefly explain how the impacts of globalisation encourage the poor to turn to crime

    - Greater insecurity will encourage people to turn to crimes such as drug trade

  5. Briefly explain how globalisation creates opportunity for crime for elite groups:

    - It creates large-scale criminal oppportunities. Eg: deregulation of financial markets creates opportunities for tax evasion and insider trading

  6. Briefly outline one criticism of Taylor’s perspective on globalisation and crime

    - It doesn’t explain why many poor people don’t turn to crime, it assumes all poor people have to turn to crime

Patterns of criminal organisation:

  1. According to Hobbs and Dunningham, how is crime organised and how does this link to changes brough about by globalisation:

    - It increasingly involves individuals acting as a ‘hub’ around which a loose-knit network forms, linking legitimate and illegitimate activities

  2. Briefly explain what Hobbs and Dunnignham mean by crime being a ‘glocal’ system:

    - It is locally based, however with global connections.