Taming Business? Crime, Law and Politics (CRIM90004)

The activities of businesses are central to every aspect of our lives from the food we eat, to our financial security and our health. But, businesses from the small local shop to large international corporations also can cause death and injury both within and outside of work, significant financial loss, economic hardship and environmental destruction. This subject tackles whether and how we can ‘tame business’ to provide for our needs without creating such damage. We examine previous attempts at control, from criminalisation and regulation to NGO pressure, that have seen some success but significant levels of failure. Through case studies and class discussion the critical relationships business and government, and government and the public, which frames the way in which these harms are dealt with are understood. Students also critically examine how governments and those affected have sought to control business in the global economy. In doing so, we analyse the growing use of corporate codes of conduct, and the central role played by NGOs in prompting change at the global and local level. Students completing the subject will have a good understanding of the political and economic challenges that are associated with controlling business crime and harm and will be able to assess critically a variety of different forms of controls in different settings.