ABSTRACT
While the evolution of the transnational state system is ongoing, theories of globalisation remain partial and contingent. Perhaps adequate theorisation of the ‘new world order’ awaits the benefit of historical hindsight. However, the practical concerns of active researchers are not the handmaidens of already established theories. Rather, social scientific research, like normal science in general, is more often the unreflective application of disciplinary technique. Political scientists, sociologists, geographers, socio-legalists, economists and others have already embarked on the business of describing, analysing and prescribing the practices that make up the transnational order. In doing so they have, perhaps without noticing it, begun to come to terms with the policing practices that patrol the conduct of the global system. Criminologists, whose disciplinary focus is limited, in some cases with reluctance, to the concerns of the criminal law, have tended to look only at those aspects of policing that pertain to law enforcement. But, as indicated at the outset of this volume, policing is not mere law enforcement and a full account of its transnational aspects or, indeed, policing in a purely national context, should not be so limited. Policing is a crucial building block of governance. As such, the study of transnational policing offers a window onto the emerging governmental practices of the transnational state system and this is why, when it is considered in its broadest sense, policing is of interest to many outside the narrow world of criminology. The contributions to this book show something of the potential of this broader research agenda. They indicate that many disciplinary discourses can be exercised by the questions that arise. It should therefore be apparent to the reader that there is, as yet, an unfulfilled research agenda on issues relating to transnational policing.
