Environmental CrimeCorruption

1.5 Credits · Level: Graduate

In today’s interconnected world, the challenges of environmental conservation, biodiversity preservation, and natural resource management are inextricably linked with the pervasive threats of transnational crime and corruption. This course delves into that critical intersection, exploring how corrupt practices at the local and global levels enable and exacerbate a range of environmental crimes, from illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and mining to the insidious effects of pollution. We will examine how corruption undermines conservation efforts, distorts resource allocation, and accelerates environmental degradation, threatening the well-being of communities and the planet. A key focus will be on how corruption and related crime impact responses to the climate crisis, including climate mitigation and adaptation and the development of new "green" technologies. Using case studies, we will investigate the diverse actors and schemes involved in environmental crime and corruption, the systems and networks that facilitate these activities, and their complex interplay across local, national, and transnational levels. Finally, the course will analyze global strategies and frameworks designed to counter environmental crime and corruption, culminating in student teams designing and presenting innovative anti-corruption initiatives to address these issues in a localized context. This is a modular (7-week) course designed to cut across all four MSFS concentrations, including Global Politics and Security (GPS); Global Business, Finance, and Society (GBFS); International Development (IDEV); and Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA).