Global criminology

Transnational organised crime (TOC) is a cause of concern and fear around the world. Yet despite its central place on the social and political radar, our knowledge of TOC was limited and fragmented. Quantitative analyses may have approximated an idea of the scale of the problem, but the underlying socio-cultural logics and practices remained under-explored and uncertain.

The research group on global criminology contributed to filling this knowledge gap.

The research group on global criminology was completely independent of any national or international policy- or law enforcement agencies. All of the centre’s research and communication was fully anonymized and dedicated to the protection of the people who aided or participated in our research.

Le research group on global criminology agissait en toute indépendance des agences policières ou politiques, tant nationales qu’internationales. Les données issues de notre recherche étaient entièrement anonymisées et notre production scientifique ainsi que notre communication donnaient la priorité à la protection des personnes qui participaient à notre recherche.

El research group on global criminology era un organismo independiente de las agencias policiales y políticas nacionales e internacionales. Los dados producidos por las nuestras investigaciones eran anonimizados y nuestra producción científica y nuestra comunicación pública priorizaban la protección de las personas que participaban en nuestras investigaciones.

Forskningsgruppen for global kriminologi var helt uafhængig af nationale og internationale myndigheder og politikker. Al centrets forskning og formidling var fuldt anonymiseret og dedikeret til at beskytte de mennesker, som assisterede eller på anden vis deltog i vores forskning.

In collaboration with international researchers in related fields, the research group on global criminology contributed to discussions of methodological, ethical and analytical issues and possibilities within the criminology of transnational organised crime.

Current research projects 

• Environmental Crime and Illegal Ecologies (ILLECO)
• Human Traffickers: The social circuits of human trafficking and transnational, organised crime (TRAFFICKER)

Completed research projects

Roskilde Festival: Mapping emerging drug trends in Danish party culture
Project period: 2023-2025
Contact: Henrik Vigh

The Remaking of International Criminal Justice: Syria and a Field in Crisis
Funding: Independent Research Fund Denmark
Project period: 2019-2025
Contact: Henrik Vigh

Young Copenhageners’ use of illegal opioids and benzodiazepines
Funding: The Health and Care Administration of Copenhagen Municipality
Project period: 2024
Contact: Jacob Fischer Møller

• Target Group Analysis of Young People's Use of Illegal Opioids and Benzodiazepines in Copenhagen (report in Danish)

The Criminalisation of Humanitarianism: From Volunteers to Human Smugglers in Italy
Funding: Carlsberg Foundation
Project period: 2021-2024
Contact: Anja Simonsen

PREVEX – Preventing Violent Extremism in the Balkans and the MENA
Funding: European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
Project period: 2020-2024
Contact: Henrik Vigh

Criminal Entanglements (CRIMTANG)
Funding: European Research Council, Consolidator Grant
Project period: 2018-2024
Contact: Henrik Vigh

Transnational Organised Crime at Sea: New evidence for better responses (TOCAS)
Funding: Economic and Social Research Council
Project period: 2018-2021
Contact: Christian Bueger

Gang Economies in the Øresund Region
Funding: Carlsberg Foundation
Project period: 2018-2021
Contact: Christina Jerne

Ethics Board

• Professor Jason Throop (UCLA, US)
• Professor Jarett Zigon (University of Virginia, US)
• PhD Henrik Rønsbo (DIGNITY, Danish Institute Against Torture)

Advisory Board

• Professor emerita Nancy Scheper-Hughes (University of California, Berkeley, US)
• Professor Philippe Bourgois (UCLA, US)
• Professor Michel Agier (EHEES, Paris, France)
• Professor Khalid Mouna (University of Moulay Ismaïl, Meknes)
• Associate professor David Pratten (University of Oxford, England)

The Criminological Academy was a cross-disciplinary and mixed-methods forum for Scandinavian university students focusing on surveillance, control, crime and criminalisation. The Academy provided a space for dialogue and cooperation between students, as well as between students and researchers affiliated with the research group. It gave students the opportunity to align their own research interests with ongoing or forthcoming projects, and to take part in workshops and seminars.

The Academy was open to all students regardless of background, sub-disciplinary preference, disciplinary background and methodological point of departure. The only requirement was that the proposed project touched upon a clearly argued matter of criminological concern.

Students interested in being part of the University of Copenhagen Criminological Academy could contact Jacob Fischer Møller.

See publication list.

Talks

Articles

Jerne, Christina. ‘Kendt advokat skulle mægle i konflikt i Korsør, men indvandrerfamilier sagde nej: »Lige nu griner de ad os«’. Berlingske.dk, 30 August 2020.

Sausdal, David, Bloch, Cathrine, and Thomas Søgaard Rohde. ‘Regeringen vil sikre, at politiet er dér, hvor danskerne har brug for det – men ekspert undrer sig over Nick Hækkerups prioritering’. Berlingske.dk, 24 August 2020.

Sausdal, David. ‘Ekspert om mere nærpoliti: - Der er intet bevis for, at det virker’. TV MIDTVEST, 25 August 2020. 

Sausdal, David. ‘Politiforskere er skeptiske over for udspil om mere nærhed for politiet’. Information, 25 August 2020.

Richter, Line. ‘Ali Har Levet Som Papirløs Migrant i Ti År. Han Frygter Mest at Blive Efterladt i Sahara'. Information, 2020.

Sausdal, David. ‘Næste Skridt Kan Være Selvtægt: Eksperter Advarer Om Mistillid Til Politiet i Indvandrermiljøet’. Jyllandsposten, 2020. 

Sausdal, David. 'Omstridt grænsekontrol kan styrke sikkerheden'. Kristeligt Dagblad, 2019. 

Sausdal, David. 'Masseovervågning med ansigtsgenkendelse rykker et skridt tættere på'. Politiken, 2019.

Vigh, Henrik and David Sausdal. 'Banditter i habitter. Hvor er bandverdenens bandepakke?' Politiken, 2018. 

David Sausdal. 'Blockchain er fremtidens bolværk mod økonomisk kriminalitet'. TV2 News Business, 2018. 

Korsby, T. M., Skvirskaja, V., Lisborg, A., Groes, C., Spanger, M. & S. Plambech. 'Udvid indsatsen mod menneskehandel'. Politiken, 2013.

Broadcastings 

Vigh, Henrik. 'Invited expert on live coverage of national elections in Guinea Bissau'. Al Jazeera English, 2023.

Vigh, Henrik. 'Internettet gør det nemt for pushere at smugle opioid-piller'. TV2 Kosmopol, 2023.

Vigh, Henrik. 'Verden Kalder' on RADIO4. Appeared as expert on peace in Northern Ireland, 2023.

Alessandro Morett. 'BBC Watchdog' on the BBC One Show. Appeared as expert on ticket touting. 2022.

Sausdal, David. ‘RADIO4 MORGEN’. RADIO4, 2020.

Sausdal, David. ‘P1 Orientering', DR Radio, 2020.

Sausdal, David. ‘Regeringen vil reformere politiet, så vi alle kan blive heeeeelt trygge. Det er sværere, end det lyder’. Zetland. 2020.

David Sausdal. 'P1 Orientering', a Danish radio show where he talked about blackmail. 

David Sausdal. 'Aflyttet', a Danish radio show on issues of contemporary surveillance.

Trine Mygind Korsby. 'P4 Tæt På', a Danish radio broadcast on the anthropologist as a "modern adventurer". 

Henrik Vigh. 'P4 Tæt På', a Danish radio broadcast on the anthropologist as a "modern adventurer".

Line Richter. "P1 Orientering", 2018.

Line Richter. "Supertanker". Den mørke, onde underverden, 2018. 

Henrik Vig.: "P1 Orientering", 2018.