Guest speaker : Chad Whelan
Dr Chad Whelan is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University, Australia. He is author of Networks and National Security: Dynamics, Effectiveness and Organization (Ashgate, 2012) and many peer-reviewed journal articles that draw on organizational theory, public administration and management to advance our theoretical and practical understanding of ‘dark’ and ‘bright’ networks. He is particularly focused on looking inside the operations of networks from a range of disciplinary perspectives to better understand the ways in which networks form and function. His current work includes exploring the effects of working in networks for organizational culture and trust as well as analyzing models of internal and external network governance or accountability.
Summary
‘Network’ is a concept that is used in relation to either a method or unit of analysis. Social network analysis is increasingly being employed to enhance our understanding of the internal dynamics of ‘dark’ networks. As a form of organization, a network refers to a particular logic of coordination or governance. Organizational networks are increasing in number and in importance across the security field as security agencies or nodes recognize the need to work together to achieve individual and shared goals.
Network forms of organization have two basic sets of properties: ‘structural’ and ‘relational’. Structural properties include the design, size, level of goal consensus and internal coordination of network activities. Relational properties include the many factors shaping relationships between security nodes at the interpersonal and inter-organizational levels, including occupational culture and trust.
The current literature on security networks or nodal governance mostly focuses on the properties of public, private and hybrid security nodes, rather than the precise ways in which security nodes are networked. We still do not know enough about how networks form and function or the effects of working in and through networks for many important outcomes.
This paper addresses these questions while calling particular attention to the relational properties of security networks.
Conférence présentée par le Centre international de criminologie comparée
