Illicit economies are not marginal aberrations confined to distant places or criminal underworlds, but rather phenomena deeply embedded within the structures of global capitalism, state governance, and everyday social life. They shape patterns of inequality, violence, and governance in ways that affect populations far beyond their immediate participants, and the relationship between illicit economies and security dynamics is increasingly recognized as being central to understanding contemporary global affairs.
This publication brings together contributions originating from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) entitled Illicit Economies and Security Dynamics, held in October 2024 in Bodrum, Turkey. This ARW provided a rare opportunity to bring together scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, and the papers assembled here represent the fruits of sustained scholarly exchange between experts working across criminology, international relations, political economy, and security studies to engage in dialogue about phenomena which transcend any single discipline. The 24 papers are organized into 3 sections: the first establishes the theoretical and analytical foundations necessary for understanding illicit economies; the second provides systematic treatment of major sectoral typologies; and the third grounds these discussions in specific regional and thematic case studies. Topics covered range from the movement of narcotics through transnational supply chains, and the circulation of illicit arms in conflict zones, to human trafficking networks that exploit structural vulnerability, and environmental crimes that accelerate ecological degradation. Each contribution ends with a list of key takeaways and recommended reading.
Ranging from broad conceptual frameworks to the particular dynamics of specific markets and places, this volume will be of interest to all those studying or working in the fields of transnational security, organized crime, international political economy, conflict studies, and related subjects.
