Macrosocial Network Analysis: The Case of Transnational Drug Trafficking

Abstract

The social network perspective is a fruitful way to understand criminal organizations. Most analyses are based on networks of relations between individuals or small groups of individuals. Yet contextual (or macrosocial) factors may be crucial for a complete understanding of criminal activity. This chapter aims to put criminal activity in the larger context in which it takes place. More precisely, it is argued that country-level features may complicate or facilitate legitimate business as well as criminal activities. A brief review of the literature on macrosocial network analysis and a framework for the study of transnational criminal activities are provided. Various sources of information are described and commented.