Political Economy of Policing

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course examines the political economy of policing, focusing on the inter-institutional networks shaping law enforcement policies, technologies, and legitimacy. Using case studies such as the battle over ShotSpotter in Chicago and similar conflicts around predictive policing, surveillance technologies, and privatized training facilities, students will explore how policing is influenced by economic, political, and institutional forces. The seminar covers research on the relations between private firms, philanthropy, academia, and community organizations in policing. Students will analyze the broader social and economic implications of these linkages while interrogating the political, economic, and racial dynamics that underlie modern policing. The course aims to equip students with a framework for assessing policing as an inter-institutional structure.