Studying the connections between organized crime, terrorism in Eurasia
The study of the region is critical because 25-30 percent of drugs produced in Afghanistan are transported through Eurasia. Drug trafficking partly explains the strength of the region’s terrorist groups, which adversely impact government, security, stability and development and can lead to the rise of crime, violence in extremism in states that are U.S. partners and allies, according to the researchers.
“By mapping the trafficking/terrorism nexus, this program will identify the areas of particular concerns where the U.S. military assets may be directed for its disruption,” the grant application states. “Overall, the findings will support interagency cooperation and collaboration with partner nations.”
The study includes the use of GIS tools by KU researchers, who will map and model the nexus between trafficking and terrorism in the Eurasian countries.
Transnational terrorist ties, local insurgencies
“These are countries that have a good amount of intersection with transnational terrorist ties and local insurgencies,” says Markowitz, author of the 2013 book State Erosion: Unlootable Resources and Unruly Elites in Central Asia. Published by Cornell University Press, the book received honorable mention for the 2014 Ed A. Hewett Book Prize, awarded annually to an outstanding monograph on the political economy of Russia, Eurasia and/or Eastern Europe.
“The study focuses on how terrorism and security threats and insurgency are interconnected with organized crime,” continues Markowitz, a six-year professor in Rowan’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences whose research work has focused on the political, economic and social forces in these regions. “We will see where and how the crimes happen and then draw some general lessons to help us understand other parts of the world.
“Generally speaking, these are weak states not unlike countries in Asia or Africa,” Markowitz adds, noting that the countries have difficulty collecting taxes, maintaining stability and combatting security threats. “At the same time, it’s a post-Communist area and there are very deeply ingrained legacies from the Soviet era. Legacies of real problems remain. It’s a very unique part of the world.”
In addition to publishing articles and a book on the Minerva research, Markowitz also will develop an undergraduate course focusing on Eurasian security.
Addressing societal needs
The Minerva Institute grant is a first for Rowan, according to Dr. Kenneth Blank, the University’s senior vice president.
“Rowan has and presently is performing work under Department of Defense contracts, but this is the first time that our investigators are undertaking work for the DoD in areas related to the social sciences,” Blank notes, adding that the research by Markowitz and his Kansas colleagues is critical to national security.
“This award demonstrates the depth of Rowan’s capabilities to meet societal needs through our research initiatives.”
Markowitz, who speaks Russian and Uzbek, has two decades of fieldwork experience in Eurasia. Since 2012, Markowitz has served as director of Rowan’s Hollybush Institute, a multi-disciplinary institute that promotes scholarly research and education on the intersections of science, technology, social science and the humanities.
