Leslie Holmes and a team of specialists from three continents analyse terrorism, organised crime and corruption both individually and in terms of the connections between them. It is argued that if we are better to understand these three phenomena, their links not only to each other but also to corporate crime need to be analysed.
There has been a marked growth in the awareness of corruption, organised crime and terrorism in recent years, especially since the end of the Cold War. Yet the linkages and resonances between these three forms of anti-social and anti-state behaviour are still not sufficiently recognised. Leslie Holmes and his fellow contributors analyse all three phenomena in concert to explain why it has taken so long for states, international organisations and the public to begin to appreciate the interplay between them. It is demonstrated that, while the recent growing awareness of connections between these three types of crime is welcome, there is also a fourth player that must sometimes be considered; transnational corporations. Although the book focuses mainly on Europe, Australia and the US, much of the analysis and theorising has global relevance.
This timely book will appeal to advanced undergraduates and postgraduates in political science, international relations, international political economy, security studies and criminology.
Industry Reviews
'This book is multidisciplinary, as it contains contributions from criminology, politics and international relations scholars. It includes a wide variety of fascinating papers with a dominant focus on the conceptual broadening of security. This is a noteworthy research agenda which, hopefully, will be followed by many more scholars... a very stimulating book which will attract the interest of a large audience in different disciplines. It deals with a variety of cases around the globe and contributes to a range of intellectual debates across several disciplines. Consequently, it should be read by many scholars.' - Christian Kaunert, Political Studies Review 'The spread of organised crime and terrorist networks, partly through their ability to exploit lapses in governmental and corporate diligence, and the growing synergies between criminals and terrorists, poses a significant challenge to policymakers and researchers. The contributions to this book offer important and timely insights into these networks, how they have taken root in different parts of the world, and how they might develop in coming years. It should be recommended reading for professionals and researchers alike.' - David Wright-Neville, Monash University, Australia 'I congratulate Leslie Holmes and the other contributors to this book. The chapters bring fresh insights and richly theorized findings. Together the authors contribute to an essential moving away from the stereotypical good-guy/bad-guy portrayal of serious criminals. This book is about collusion. Politics, corporate conspiracies, national security and military empires, opportunity, vast illicit resources, ambiguous or impossible rulesA" and the complicity of the public all result in the growth of organized crime, corruption, and terrorism. As the title suggests, it is the linkages among these three types of crimes and the linkages between criminals and legitimateA" citizens that must be dissected for better-informed policy-making and potentially greater security.' - Margaret Beare, Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security, Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, Canada 'In making connections between the three types of crime - terrorism, organized crime and corruption - this wide-ranging collection of essays is path breaking. Each chapter contains new insights and new information; as a whole, the collection is masterfully brought together by the editor, Leslie Holmes, who, always careful not to claim too much for the linkages between the three categories of crimes, makes a persuasive concluding argument for corporate crime to be added to the three forms of criminality. This collection brings the darker side of politics out of the shadows and into the foreground and highlights the importance in the fight against terrorism and organized crime of the state being able to trust its own officers.' - Rosemary H.T. O'Kane, University of Keele, UK 'Leslie Holmes' edited book is a fascinating and wide-ranging collection on the interface between terrorism, organised crime, corruption, legitimate businesses, and local communities. The cases range from Australia, to Russia, to the Netherlands and focus on the complex links between the economic motives of corrupt officials and organized criminals, on the one hand, and terrorists, on the other. The result is a sobering look at a growing problem and a plea for more research into linkages often left unexplored by narrow specialists. It should set the agenda for future research that crosses disciplinary boundaries and tackles the difficult empirical challenges.' - Susan Rose-Ackerman, Yale University, US
