Social Analysis of Security

The unequal division of power, income, social, and cultural capital is reflected in the field of security. This results in an unequal distribution of security in our society. In this book, the research unit Social Analysis of Security (SVA) presents contributions on the theme of inequality and exclusion mechanisms in the field of security. The book describes, explains, and observes the social effects, starting from an explicit empirical research attitude. From a methodological point of...
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The unequal division of power, income, social, and cultural capital is reflected in the field of security. This results in an unequal distribution of security in our society. In this book, the research unit Social Analysis of Security (SVA) presents contributions on the theme of inequality and exclusion mechanisms in the field of security. The book describes, explains, and observes the social effects, starting from an explicit empirical research attitude. From a methodological point of view, it looks for a balance between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Social Analysis of Security is divided into the following three sections. 1) 'Financial, Economic, and Ecological Crime' is a domain where characteristics of inequality are dominant and which has been an under-researched topic for a long time. But, over the last decade, an increasing interest can be observed. This section's contributions deal with different issues, such as conflict resolution in the pharmaceutical sector, transnational environmental crime in the trafficking of e-waste and illegal timber, and the perceptions of corruption by public opinion. 2) 'Crime, Security, and Trust' investigates the causes of criminal behavior and attitudes from a contextual perspective, with special attention for unequal socio-ecological or environmental influences, asking questions as: How do neighborhood disadvantages impact on individual involvement in offending or on the environmental spread of collective efficacy and fear of crime? 3) 'Public and Private Policing' looks at different social reactions to security phenomena. This final section of the book analyzes policies concerning insecurity, such as federal and local security policy, reactions to new security initiatives, the blurring of boundaries between police and other instances, and alternative conflict settlements.