The Illicit Global Economy and State Power

Illicit cross-border flows, such as the smuggling of drugs, migrants, weapons, toxic waste, and dirty money, are proliferating on a global scale. This clandestine side of globalization has emerged as an increasingly important source of conflict and cooperation among nation states, state agents, non-state actors, and international organizations. Contrary to scholars and policy-makers who claim a general erosion of state power in the face of globalization, this volume of essays explores the selective nature of the state’s retreat, persistence and reassertion in relation to the illicit global economy. It seeks to fill a gap in the international political economy literature and offer a powerful lens through which to examine core issues of concern to international relations scholars: the changing nature of states and markets; the impact of globalization across place and issue areas; and the sources of co-operation and conflict.