Informell oder institutionalisiert? Die Internationalisierung der inneren Sicherheit

Abstract

Although international police cooperation is not a new phenomenon and despite its relevance for the monopoly of force, studies applying a political science or international relations (IR) perspective are scarce. Through a 'competition of claims', this article reviews and organizes current literature on cooperation in internal security to highlight crucial points of entry for IR- and political science approaches. While both claims argue along the lines of functionalist regime theory, the 'informality claim' stresses state's interest to uphold autonomy and their accordant preference for informal cooperation. In contrast, the 'institutionalization claim' underscores the willingness of states to create formal and strong institutions as they promise efficiency gains in light of transborder problems. By focusing on central issues in police cooperation (terrorism, drugs, money laundering, organized crime) this review highlights that internal security can become a prospering field for IR- and political science theorizing.