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PL30548: Italian national option IT9: organised crime & democracy in Italy

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, ES 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
This unit has four main aims:
1. to provide students with a detailed theoretical/empirical understanding of organised crime in Italy;
2. to provide students with an appreciation of the theoretical debates associated with organised crime and its relationship with civil society and politics;
3. to enable students to develop a critical/analytical approach to the major issues raised by organised crime in Italy;
4. to help students improve research techniques through use of a case study.

Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this unit, students should:
1. have in-depth knowledge of the phenomenon of organised crime gangs in Italy, including a detailed understanding of their political, economic and social features as well as their relationships with politicians and businessmen;
2. be familiar with theories of organised crime and its political significance;
3. be familiar with the major debates about organised crime in Italy;
4. be able to respond in an informed manner to questions about the existence and persistence of organised crime in Italy and the threat which it poses to Italian democracy;
5. design and write a case study on an aspect of organised crime in Italy which demonstrates the empirical and theoretical knowledge detailed above.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:
Defining Italian organised crime; theoretical approaches to organised crime and democracy in Italy; criminal and civic culture; modernisation of criminal business and white collar crime; politics, clientelism and organised crime; La Mafia, Camorra, Ndrnagheta e Corona Sacra unita; the Alfieri Confederation - a case study; foreign criminal groups in Italy; the trials of Giulio Andreotti and Antonio Gava; Italy's fight against organised crime; challenges to Italian democracy.
Key texts:
* Arlacchi, P. (1986) Mafia Business, The Mafia Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, OUP: Oxford.
* Gambetta, D. (1993) The Sicilian Mafia, OUP: Oxford.
* Stile, A. (1995) Excellent Cadavers, The Mafia and the Death of the First Republic, Jonathan Cape: London.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL30548 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA(Hons) German and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB14 : BA(Hons) Italian and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB04 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB06 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB02 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB20 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB19 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB15 : BA(Hons) Russian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA(Hons) Spanish and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.