Illicit economies and the spaces of circulation

这项研究关注的是全球化中的货物流动。虽然大多数学术工作都集中在商品如何以及在哪里生产，消费和处置，但相对较少涉及全球经济中的商品流通。将注意力转向物品的流通，突出了海洋空间（海洋）以及港口、卡车和卡车司机在维系全球经济方面的关键作用。它还标志着“D计划”或“D系统”在全球经济中的重要性;即支持全球化的大量非正式或不受管制的经济活动。本研究考察了这些交叉点，从四个主要的欧盟港口开始，包括在北方和南欧。它需要与卡车司机、运输代理人、航运代理人以及海关和货物税检查员进行研究。研究的重点是集装箱的物理内容之间的潜在差距，他们的价值，和这些内容的描述，对箱子的舱单。因此，这项研究探讨了以货物不间断流动为基础的全球经济与开始将港口视为全球安全中最薄弱环节的安全关切之间的冲突。

This research is concerned with examining the flows of goods in globalisation. Whilst most academic work focuses on how and where goods are produced, consumed and disposed of, relatively little addresses the circulation of goods in the global economy. Turning attention to the circulation of things highlights the critical role of maritime space (the sea) and of ports, trucks and truckers in holding the global economy together. It also flags the signficance of 'Plan D' or 'System D' in the global economy; that is, the vast range of informal or unregulated economic activity which underpins globalisation. This research examines these intersections, starting from four of the major EU ports, including in Northern and Southern Europe. It entails research with truckers, haulier agents, shipping agents and customs and excise inspectors. The focus for the research is the potential gap between the physical contents of the container box, and their value, and the description of those contents on the box manifest. As such, the research addresses the collision between a global economy predicated upon the uninterrupted flow of goods and security concerns which are beginning to identify ports as the weakest link in global security.