ABSTRACT
The first chapter of the book traces the origins and emergence of organised crime through a review of academic theorising, situating each theory in socio-historical context. This genealogy is connected with depictions of organised crime in popular culture. It is argued that understandings of organised crime have been influenced by the social context, political winds and intellectual climate of the time, meaning they are contingent. Theorising about organised crime has been undertaken through many different lenses, demonstrating the kaleidoscopic nature of this notional concept. This lends support for the idea that organised crime is but a social construct, establishing the rationale to study the politicisation of organised crime in discourse. In sum, the opening chapter argues organised crime is a mutable category, leading to questions about the relationship between what is known about it (knowledge, Parts 1 and 2), and what is done to criminalise and police it (power, Part 3). The overarching progression – from politicisation to criminalisation and institution building – that structures the book and defines the problem is outlined, and the empirical approach to fieldwork described.
