Description
Book SynopsisWebs of Corruption is an innovative study demonstrating that terrorist and criminal activity intersect more narrowly than is widely believed. Mariya Y. Omelicheva and Lawrence P. Markowitz analyze the links between the drug trade and terror financing in Central Asia, finding that state security services shape the nexus of trafficking and terrorism.
Trade ReviewOmelicheva and Markowitz’s research on the “crime-terror nexus” is refreshing and innovative, challenging conclusions often drawn on it. By bringing the state—both institutions and personalities—into the analytical mix, Omelicheva and Markowitz not only offer an explanation for how these transnational phenomena exist in Central Asia but also a logical framework for how to assess them in other geographic sub-regions of the world. Without question, Central Asian studies specialists and experts on terrorism and narcotics trafficking will benefit from a close reading of this volume. -- Roger Kangas, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies
A groundbreaking study of the drug trafficking-terrorism nexus,
Webs of Corruption is applicable across the globe. A must-read for anyone studying the links among organized crime, state weakness, and political violence. -- Erica Marat, author of
The Politics of Police Reform: Society Against the State in Post-Soviet CountriesScholars and policy makers have long speculated on the nexus between drug trafficking and terrorism. In this ambitious and expertly conceptualized study, Omelicheva and Markowitz use a wealth of new data and cutting-edge social science tools to meticulously explore the various relationships that exist among these actors in Central Asia and provide an invaluable framework for understanding the different roles of state actors within these networks. This is an invaluable contribution to the academic literature and regional policy discussions. -- Alexander Cooley, Columbia University
Recommended. * Choice *
The authors’ theoretical framework is innovative, and it might eventually become useful for scholars who want to better understand the link between trafficking and terrorism. * Democratization *
The authors deserve credit for introducing and using diverse data sources to try to throw light on the incidence and intensity of drug interdiction and terrorist violence. * Europe-Asia Studies *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations and Tables
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Theorizing the Trafficking-Terrorism Nexus
2. Mapping How Trafficking and Terrorism Intersect
3. Convergence and Coexistence: Divergent Paths of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
4. Emerging Relationships Within the Nexus: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan
Conclusion
Appendix 1. Socioeconomic Predictors of the Trafficking-Terrorism Nexus
Appendix 2. The Impact of Drug Trafficking on Terrorism
Notes
Bibliography
Index
