SP473      Half Unit
Policing, Security and Globalisation

This information is for the 2023/24 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Tim Newburn 

Dr Johann Koehler 

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Criminal Justice Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Development), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Education), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (LSE and Fudan), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Migration), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Non-Governmental Organisations) and MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’. Please see the link below for further details on the allocation process.

https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/services/course-choice/controlled-access-courses

Pre-requisites

Some familiarity with sociology and/or criminology would be an advantage, but is not a formal prerequisite. Anyone unfamiliar with criminology can find a full introduction in: Newburn, T. (2017) Criminology, London: Routledge, 3rd Edition

Course content

The sub-discipline of police studies is now well-established and is flourishing. Whilst much traditional policing scholarship focuses on policing within particular societies, increasingly attention is turning to both international and comparative matters. Indeed, the social and economic changes associated with globalisation have affected policing as all else. This course will focus on transnational public and private policing, and on the issues and challenges that globalisation raises: from the policing of transitional societies and emergent democracies, the policing of migration, of public order, through to the study of new social movements seeking radical reform of policing and the provision of security.

Teaching

All teaching will be in accordance with the LSE Academic Code (https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/lse-academic-code) which specifies a "minimum of two hours taught contact time per week when the course is running in the Autumn Term (AT) and/or Winter Term (WT)". Social Policy courses are predominantly taught through a combination of in-person Lectures and In person classes/seminars. Further information will be provided by the Course Convenor in the first lecture of the course.

The course will be delivered in WT.

Formative coursework

Students are invited to prepare two pieces of formative coursework:

- The first piece of formative work will take the form of a short group presentation on 'policing developing democracies' that students will design and deliver before Reading Week.

- The second piece of formative work will take the form of essay outline - in effect an outline answer to the longer summative essay, including a full introductory paragraph. 

Indicative reading

  • Bowling, B. and Sheptycki (2012) Global Policing London: Sage
  • Brodeur, J-P (2010) The Policing Web, New York: OUP
  • Goff, P.A. (2021) Perspectives on policing, Annual Review of Criminology,54, 27-32
  • Lum, C. (2021) Perspectives on policing, Annual Review of Criminology,54, 19-25
  • Newburn, T. (ed) (2008) Handbook of Policing, Second Edition, Cullompton: Willan (in process of updating)
  • Newburn, T. (ed) (2004) Policing: Key Readings, Cullompton: Willan
  • Reiner, R. (2010) The Politics of the Police, Fourth Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press (new edition in 2017/18)

Additional Reading:

  • Andreas, P. and Nadelmann, E. (2006) Policing the Globe: Criminalization and crime control in international relations, New York: OUP
  • Johnston, L. (2006) Transnational security governance, in Wood, J. and Dupont, B. (eds) Democracy, Society and the Governance of Security, Cambridge: CUP
  • Nadelmann, E.  (1993) Cops across borders: the internationalisation of US law enforcement. Pennsylvania State University Press
  • Reiner, R. (1992/2004) Policing a postmodern society, in Newburn, T. (ed) Policing: Key Readings, Cullompton: Willan
  • O’Malley, P. (1997/2004) Policing, politics and postmodernity, in Newburn, T. (ed) Policing: Key Readings, Cullompton: Willa
  • Sheptycki, J. (1995) ‘Transnational policing and the makings of a postmodern state’. British Journal of Criminology,  35:613-35
  • Sheptycki, J. (1998). ‘Policing, postermodernism and transnationalisation’. British Journal of Criminology.  38: 485-503
  • Sheptycki, J (ed.) (2000) Issues in Transnational Policing. London: Routledge

Assessment

Essay (80%) and coursework (20%).

Essay (80%) & Coursework (20%, either as a group presentation or a 1,000-word book review)

Student performance results

(2019/20 - 2021/22 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 37.1
Merit 54.6
Pass 8.2
Fail 0

Key facts

Department: Social Policy

Total students 2022/23: 35

Average class size 2022/23: 17

Controlled access 2022/23: Yes

Lecture capture used 2022/23: Yes (MT)

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Problem solving
  • Communication