SCHOOL OF POLICY, GOVERNMENT, AND INTERNATIONAL AFFIARS
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY ARLINGTON, VA
Illicit Trade
(PUBP 763-001)
3 Credits
DRAFT
Contact Information:
Christopher A. Corpora, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
Phone: (202) 751-0605
E-mail: ccorpora@gmu.edu
corporaca@gmail.com
***Anything discussed or presented in this course is solely the perspective of the
instructor and does not reflect the official positions of the U.S. Government***
Spring Semester, 2016:
Course Day/Hours/Locations: Tuesdays, 7:10 – 9:50 PM, GMU Arlington Campus, Room
467.
Office Hours: By appointment, before and after class.
Course Overview
INTRODUCTION
Studies of international trade are dominated by a focus on licit trade – ignoring the growing and
important illicit side of the political economy. This course will demonstrate the need to consider
and understand the illicit side of trade to fully appreciate the total global economy – recognizing
the ways licit and illicit often converge, providing a complex problem-set for those focused on
addressing the latter. This course will examine the growth and role of illicit trade and the most
pernicious aspects of the activities that fall within the category – giving a fuller, more accurate
view of current global trade and the associated challenges.
This course will trace the major intellectual discussions and empirical facts associated with illicit
trade – identifying their complex relationship with traditional and new realities of the global
economy. In this discussion the students will be introduced to several new ways to think about
these issues – driving a broader policy dialog around the possibilities for transforming and
managing these global issues. Students will be challenged to question long-held assumptions
and entertain different ways to explain and address illicit trade now and in the future.
TEACHING APPROACH:
This seminar will have few formal lectures, beyond the first few sessions. Rather, students are
expected to read extensively and be prepared to participate in and help lead a structured, critical
dialog about the readings and related world events. Students are expected to prepare informed
assessments of the readings and articulate key questions that come from the readings – which
are meant to be cumulative and, in some cases, presenting opposing views and approaches to
the topic. The seminar will follow a modified Socratic approach, where most of the discussion
will be based on addressing a series of questions in reference to the readings and the course
topic. Some students prefer lecture-based instruction. However, this approach is a useful and
sometimes refreshing approach that can yield great results if all engage fully and respectfully
with an open mind and an eagerness to learn.
PREREQUISITES:
None
GRADED WORK:
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Take Home Midterm -- 25%: Each student will prepare a 3-6 page paper demonstrating a
clear understanding of illicit trade – based on the readings and class discussions up
through the first half of the class. Students will write two short essays, responding to one
mandatory question and choosing the second from a list of questions provided the week
before midterms. Each essay will be 3 pages in length. This paper is due at the midterm
week class noted below.
Class Project – 25%: The class will be randomly organized into teams of 4-5 and tasked
to prepare a short, 3-5 page team paper and 10 minute oral presentation with visual
slides addressing a specific aspect of illicit trade. Teams will coordinate topics with the
instructor, ensuring
Final Research Paper – 30%: Each student will prepare an 8-10 page paper, addressing
a specific case of illicit trade. This paper will fully describe the issue in context -discussing how the issue effects local, national, regional and international communities.
The paper will also provide a critical assessment of varying positions and policies at play.
Finally, the papers should survey and present a coherent set of policy suggestions to
mitigate the issues addressed. This is an academic research project that will require the
student to find sources outside those used in class to present their case.
Attendance and Participation – 20%: Please engage! We all learn best through
discussion, debate, and exchange of ideas. Please remember to be respectful of your
fellow students – allowing them the courtesy to make or defend a point. Two or more
unexcused absences will result in a full letter grade reduction in this area.
All papers will be double spaced, 1 inch margin, 12pt Times New Roman Font with footnotes –
NOT ENDNOTES. A full bibliography is expected for the final paper. All due dates are final with
extensions only for those who have written, university approved reasons for delay. Each paper
will be marked down a full latter grade for each day it is late. All papers should be sent via
email, with return receipt required, and hard-copy in class. This hard and soft copy policy will
ensure I receive all papers on time, in case of a need to miss class.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Plagiarism is a growing problem in academic and professional publication circles. Much of this
comes from the ease with which a manuscript can be quickly scanned through publicly available
software to check for the inappropriate use of intellectual capital. The George Mason University
plagiarism policy is available in your student handbook and requires swift and irrevocable
consequences for someone who is caught inappropriately using someone else’s’ text or ideas.
The best way to ensure you do not fall into this category is through aggressive and thoughtful
footnoting, with an exhaustive list of references used to form ideas in any formal written
assignment. If you are uncertain, please refer to the GMU policy and contact instructor for
guidance.
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION FOR A DISABILITY:
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me
and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474. All academic
accommodations must be arranged through the DRC.
REQUIRED READINGS:
1. Global Outlaws: Crime, Money, and Power in the Contemporary World, Carol
Nordstrom, Berkley: University of California Press, 2007: ISBN:13-9780520250963. (CN)
2. Ill-Gotten Money and the Economy: Experiences from Malawi and Namibia, Stuart
Yikona, et. al., Washington DC: World Bank Press, 2011: ISBN: 978-0-8213-8887-7 (SY)
3. Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats are Highjacking the Global
Economy, Moises Naim, New York: Random House, 2006: ISBN-13: 978-1400078844
(MN)
4. Illicit Flows and Criminal Things: States, Borders and the Other Side of
Globalization, Willem van Schendel and Itty Abraham, eds., Bloomington: University of
Indiana Press, 2005: ISBN: 0-253-21811-X (VA)
5. Illicit Trafficking, Robert J. Kelly, Jess Maghan, and Joseph D. Serio, Santa Barbara:
ABA-CLIO, 2005: ISBN -- 1-57607-915-5 (KMS)
6. Policing the Globe: Criminalization and Crime Control in International Relations,
Peter Andreas and Ethan Nadelmann, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006: ISBN – 019-508948-0 (AN)
Also required are various articles and official documents, detailed in the course plan below.
Course Plan
Class 1: – Introduction to the Course
Required Reading:
KNS – Part 1 and 3
Class 2: – Historical Perspective on Illicit Trade: Why the Growth
Required Readings:
MN -- pp. 1-37.
CN – Part 1, National
AN – Intro and Part 1
Karras, A. (2009). Smuggling: Contraband and Corruption in World History, pp. 1-18
Class 3: – Illicit Financial Flows and their Impact on Development
**Choose class presentation topic and date**
Required Readings:
VA – Ch 1
CN – Ch 10, 16-17
KNS – pp 48-54
SY – All
-------Global Witness. (2009). Undue Diligence How Banks do Business with Corrupt Regimes,
pp. 3-39, 105-111
http://www.globalwitness.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/undue_diligence_lowres_0.pdf
Liana Sun Wyler and Dick.K, Nanto, “North Korea Crime-for-Profit Activities” August 25,
2008, Summary, pp.1-4. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33885.pdf
Class 4: – Illicit Trade and Conflict Regions
**Submit term paper title, short description, and sample bibliography**
Required Readings:
CN – Ch 8-9
AN -- Sections 2-3
Podder, S. “
Serrano, Monica, “
--------Global Witness, Faced with A Gun What can you do? , pp.1-14, 25-37.
http://www.globalwitness.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/report_en_final_0.pdf
GAO, “The Democratic Republic of the Congo U.S. Agencies Should take Further Actions to
Contribute to the Effective Regulation and Control of the Mineral Trade in eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo, pp. 1-19. http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-1030
Class 5: – Illicit Arms Trade, Nuclear Smuggling and Non-State Actors
Required Readings:
MN – pp 38-64
VA – Ch 7
AN – Part 5
KNS – pp 62-76 and 163-174
_____
Asif Efrat, 2010. Toward Internationally Regulated Goods: Controlling the Trade in Small
Arms and Light Weapons. International Organization 64(1): 97-131.
Project on US Middle East Non Proliferation Strategy, US Non-Proliferation Strategy for the
Changing Middle East, 2013, pp. 1-18
http://isisonline.org/uploads/isisreports/documents/US_Nonproliferation_Strategy_for_the_Changing_Mid
dle_East.pdf
Louise Shelley
Class 6: – Illicit Trade in Natural Resources
** First round of Team Presentations**
Required Readings:
MN -- pp.157-74.
CN – Ch 11 and 12
VA – Ch 6
------OECD (2012). Illegal Trade in Environmentally Sensitive Goods. OECD Trade Policy
Studies. OECD Publishing, pp.25-54 (Use Library Database: OECD iLibrary).
Pervaze A. Sheikh, “Illegal Logging: Background and Issues”, June 9, 2008, Congressional
Research Services, http://ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/08July/RL33932.pdf
Liana Sun Wyler and Pervaze A. Sheikh, “International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and
U.S. Policy,” 2008, http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/110404.pdf
Required Videos:
Carbon Credits video:
http://www.eia-international.org.php5-20.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/ourwork/environmentalcrime-and-governance/carbon-trade
Earth Focus in Link TV, Baby Elephant Smuggling exposed,
http://www.linktv.org/video/7852/baby-elephant-smuggling-exposed
Class 7: – Trade in Humans and Illegal Migration – MIDTERMS QUESTIONS ASSIGNED
**Last Round of Team Presentations**
Required Readings:
MN -- pp.86-108.
VA – Ch 2 and 5
CN – Ch 18
KNS – pp 84-89 and 141-157
__________
TIP Report 2012. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). pp. 388-393.
http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2012/index.htm or
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/192599.pdf
Shelley, Human Trafficking - Chapters 3-4, pp. 83-115
UNODC, Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2012, pp. 9-62.
http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-andanalysis/glotip/Trafficking_in_Persons_2012_web.pdf
Class 8: – Intellectual Property Crime, Counterfeiting, and Diversion
Required Readings:
MN -- pp. 109-130
KNS – pp. 83-84
Louise Shelley, The Diverse Facilitators of Counterfeiting: A Global Perspective, Journal Of
International Affairs, Vol. 66, no.1 (Fall/Winter 2012), pp. 19-37
Roger Bate, Phake: The Deadly World of Falsified and Substandard Medicines Washington,
DC: AEI Press, 2012, 25-47
OECD Report
Class 9: Guest Speaker – MIDTERMS DUE
Classes 10 and 11:– Drugs and Tobacco
Required Readings:
MN -- pp.65-86.
CN – Ch 13
VA – Ch 3-4
KNS – pp 54-61 and 158-162
------Paul Gootenberg, Peter Reuter, UNODC, World Drug Report 2012, pp. 1-5, 59-89.
http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR2012/WDR_2012_web_small.pdf
Elizabeth Allen, “The Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products and How to Tackle It,” Washington,
D.C.: International Tax and Investment Center, 1-21.
http://www.kangaroogroup.eu/DB_beelden/booklet_illicit_trade_tobacco_products.pdf
Class 12: The Illicit Trade in Arts, Antiquities and Other Areas
Required Readings:
KNS – pp 78-82
Giglio, Mike, “This is how ISIS
Neil Brodie, “Ch.6: The Western Market in Iraqi Antiquities,” in Antiquities under Siege:
Cultural Heritage Protection after the Iraq War ed Lawrence Rothfeld, Lanham, Md:
AltaMira Press, 2008, pp.63-73.
Matthew Bogdanos with William Patrick, “ Ch. 14: It’s All About Price,” in Thieves of
Baghdad, New York: Bloomsbury, 2005, pp.243-264
R. Fisman and S.-J. Weo, “The Smuggling of Art, and the Art of Smuggling: Uncovering the
Illicit Trade in Cultural Property and Antiques,” American Economic Journal: Applied
Economics 1 (July, 2009), pp.82-96
Simon Mackenzie, Regulating the Market in Illicit Antiquities No. 239, Australian Institute
of Criminology, September 2002.
http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/5/2/%7B252FE0B2-D4E2-414B-85724E57D7C4A0D7%7Dti239.pdf
See ARCA website http://www.artcrimeresearch.org/
Class 13 & 14:– Responding to Illicit Trade: Conceptual, Contextual and Policy
Required Readings:
MN -- pp.175-281
AN – Part 6
CN – Ch 19
Global Witness, Undue Diligence: How Banks do Business with Corrupt Regimes pp.110-23.
http://www.globalwitness.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/undue_diligence_lowres_0.pdf
GAO, “International Trade: U. S. Agencies Have Taken Some Steps, But Serious Steps
Remain to Restrict Trade in Burmese Rubies and Jadeite, September 2009,” pp. 1-30.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09987.pdf
World Bank, “Justice for Forests: Improving Criminal Justice Efforts to Combat Illegal
Logging,” 2012, pp. vii-x (executive summary) and pp. 15-38.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTFINANCIALSECTOR/Resources/Illegal_Logging.pdf
Monitoring supply chains, Verite, “Research on Indicators of Forced Labor in the Supply
Chain of Shrimp in Bangladesh,” pp. 4-10, 73-76
http://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/DOL-BANGLADESH-FINAL%20ADA%20COMPLIANT.pdf
FINAL RESEARCH PAPERS DUE AT LAST CLASS