The Crime-Terror Continuum

Question: Discuss about The Crime-Terror Continuum. Answer: Initial identification of the article: This review is done on the article titled The Crime-Terror Continuum: Tracing the Interplay between Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism. The author of the article is Tamara Makarenko. The article was published in the journal named Global Crime, (Volume:6, Issue:1). It was published in February 2004. This particular article has made a discussion on the relationship between transnational organized crime and terrorism. A brief summary of the article: The author has dedicated this article to prove that terrorism and organized crime has a close nexus between them. The objective of the article can be described as exploring the potential relation and the possibility of convergence of the terrorists and the criminal organizations to be a singular entity. The article has discussed that this nexus is operating due to various motivational approaches. As opined by the author the nexus between the organized crime and terrorism The article has discussed that the theory of convergence and the popular black hole theory to discuss its central idea. As discussed by sociological theorists, the convergence theory talks about the potentiality of becoming one singular entity of two different societal entities because of their development and mutually mitigated necessitates. Here, in this context of organized crime and terrorism the author has mentioned that the convergence of the two groups is taking a shape that the ultimate aims and motivations of the organizations have actually changed. As described in the convergence theory, the author has provided a distinct identification. On the other hand, the author has also discussed the popular Black Hole Thesis for explaining the pattern and aspect of this convergence of these two distinctly directed groups. As clearly mentioned by various researchers, the black hole thesis describes two distinct but parallel situations[1]. One where the principal motivations of clusters involved in a civil war changes from a concentration on the political aspiration to the focus on criminal ambition; another, it talks about the emergence and development of a black hole state which is taken over by a group which is criminal cluster. Thus, the criminal groups which hold an ambition of significant political power is typically converging to the terrorist groups. With a number of examples of the criminal gangs and terrorist groups ranging from a diverse number of countries and sub-continents, the author has discussed that the terrorist groups are gradually changing the operational ambition due to the causes like, organizational management, contextual facility and global alteration in the economic as well as the technological aspect. A critical discussion: The author has described his central idea of a potential nexus and tendency of convergence between the terrorist and criminal group with the help of a number of real life examples of terrorist groups and the context of their emergence. With a very well structured way, the author has provided a few theoretical ideas that can be used to explain the essence of the article. Moreover, the author has made his point clear with help of an unambiguous lingual pattern. However, while critically defining the article it can be said that, it has tried to provide the idea that with the progress of time the two differently motivated groups are trying to come to a similar point with identical ambition. It has tried to set them in a same region of the fulcrum. However, as opined by the scholastic experts, the terrorist groups are mainly politically driven, whereas the organized crime group is typically characterized with the strong networking system[2]. The main ambition of the terrorist groups is to accumulate power where money is only a means to achieve it[3]. Most of the traditional studies have distinguished them two different entities. However, various scholars have stated, almost fifty years ago, an obvious dividing line was there between these two, which is continuously becoming blur[4]. As opined by the author of this article, the relation or the nexus between these two separate entities can be explained with the help of the Black Hole theory of terrorism. A number of scholastic articles can be found in support of this theory. The idea of entering the black whole is the weakening of a state and the loss of its sovereignty and lack of governmental collapse[5]. In such a context, the sate becomes the safe haven for the terrorist groups and organized criminals. The author himself, while discussing the alliance pattern of relation, has supported this very idea. As mentioned by the researchers in the related field with the collapsed state of government is becomes easier for the groups to co-ordinate and co-operate[6]. In addition to this, the empirical study report of the author has also described that the convergent theory can be discussed to identify the cause of the liaison between these two groups. It has provided the readers a clear idea for understanding the cause of the transition of the terrorist groups into the organized criminals. As supported by many authors in the modern world of capitalism and globalization, the criminal groups have concluded that to become economically powerful, it is crucial to hold the political authority[7]. On the other hand, as mentioned by various scholars with the advancement in the modern information technology, the terrorist groups have identified the importance of organized networks[8]. Various authors have supported this very idea. As described by them, the terrorist groups has been identified that an organized network helps largely to the successful implementation of their strategic planning. On the other hand, utilizing the modern information technology will also provide them organizational sustainability[9]. The idea provided by the author that the organized criminals have also found it crucial to be politically powerful to obtain a better management of their operation. In the articles of many scholars, the support of this idea can also be detected. With the explanation of the black hole theory, it can be said that the organized criminal groups and the terrorist organizations work hand in hand, when they find it easy to fulfil the mutual aspirations. Hence, it can be said that most of the scholastic articles have supported the idea of transitional hybridization of the terrorist and organizational criminal groups. The explanation of the two distinct socio-political theories has made this article strong enough to establish its points. Moreover, the empirical feature of the paper has made provided enough proof in support of the authors discussion. As mentioned previously, there were certain distinct differences in the outlook and operation of the terrorist and organized criminal groups. Traditional sociological researchers have mentioned it with great emphasis. However, as opined by the modern researchers they are typically converging for various reasons. A final evaluation: As opined by a number of researchers, with the recent turn of events, ranging from the collapse of the communism in Soviet Union to the recent dominance of Al-Qaida or ISIS, the two distinct organizations or organized crime and terrorists can be identified as a singular entity with identical ambitions[10]. This particular article can be described as a major contributor in the subject of criminology and the endeavour to explore the nature, status and pattern of the modern criminal world and terrorism. However, this particular article has discussed the pattern of terrorism under the light of the social theory of convergence and the Black Hole Theory. With these two theories, the author has made the cause of such transition and hybridization clear to the readers. A number of scholastic articles are supporting his discussion. Traditionally, the terrorist groups and the organized criminals were distinct in their identity. However, by reviewing a number of real life cases and scholastic li teratures it can be said that the future of terrorism is the hybrid transitional groups. References: Asongu, Simplice A., and Jacinta Nwachukwu. "Fighting terrorism: empirics on policy harmonization."African Governance and Development Institute WP/15/024(2015). Den Boer, Monica, and Irina Wiegand. "From Convergence to Deep Integration: Evaluating the Impact of EU Counter-Terrorism Strategies on Domestic Arenas."Intelligence and National Security30, no. 2-3 (2015): 377-401. Farah, Douglas.Transnational Organized Crime, Terrorism, and Criminalized States in Latin America: An Emerging Tier-One National Security Priority. ARMY WAR COLL STRATEGIC STUDIES INST CARLISLE BARRACKS PA, 2012. Gallagher, Martin. "Modelling Entrepreneurial Endeavour in the Nexus between Terrorism and Organised Crime: Does Supporting Terrorism Present a Red Line in Organised Criminals Pursuit of Profit?."Exploring Criminal and Illegal Enterprise: New Perspectives on Research, Policy Practice (Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research, Volume 5) Emerald Group Publishing Limited5 (2015): 51-74. Kaya, Zeynep. "Building an Empire: Terrorism VS Organized Crime."International Relations3, no. 7 (2015): 448-458. Lizardo, Omar. 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