Dr. Bradford Dillman   --   Current Research

I am writing a new textbook tentatively entitled The Illicit Global Economy: Unintended Consequences of State Policies to Control Illegal Transactions. This project examines the growth of the illicit global economy and its impact on the ability of states to defend and control their societies. Illegal and criminal transactions such as smuggling, people trafficking, terrorist financing, and intellectual property rights infringements are high-stakes activities that present difficult challenges to policymakers and legitimate businesses. This project will present a new perspective on illicit activities, emphasizing that well-intentioned policies to fight the “shadows” often lead to unintended effects that worsen the phenomena, undermine fragile institutions, and raise costs for society. The interdisciplinary book resulting from this research is intended for use in upper-level undergraduate courses in international political economy, political science, and business.  

 

I am co-editing with David Balaam the 5th edition of the textbook Introduction to International Political Economy, to be published in 2010. Information on the current 4th edition is available at Longman/Prentice Hall

 

I recently edited a special issue of the journal Mediterranean Politics entitled “Crime, Corruption and the Shadow Economy in the Mediterranean” (July 2007). The focus is on the political economy of illicit transactions in and between the Mediterranean countries (including Europe, Turkey, the Levant, and North Africa). My introductory chapter is entitled "Shining Light on the Shadows." Articles analyze trends in corruption, crime, illegal migration, and informal sectors. Authors assess the impact of shadow transactions on development, conflict, and political change. Click here for the full table of contents for this issue.