Overview
Part of the book series: Central and Eastern European Perspectives on International Relations (CEEPIR)
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About this book
This study presents intriguing analysis of the impact of private security companies' practices upon the fields of security and politics in the Czech Republic. It situates cases concerning ABL, the biggest Czech private security company, in the larger social, political, legal and economic contexts of the booming private security business. This company's extensive linkages with Czech politics suggest that the continued absence of specific legislation for the regulation of private security companies' activities is due to too much, rather than too little, political interest in their activities. This is problematic, arguably, because the practices of private security companies have already contributed to a significant transformation of the Czech security field by enhancing the commodification and depoliticization of security, while ABL's use of security methods for political purposes and a business approach to politics have profoundly transformed the field of politics. Reflecting the growing interest in the privatization of security, this timely study unpacks the relationship between politics, business and security in the Czech Republic.
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Keywords
Table of contents (7 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Reviews
"Old?ich Bure provides a critically-needed view into the privatization of force in a country that has, until now, remained on the outskirts of much of the literature on force privatization. The Czech Republic's unique experiences with private security companies, and Bure 's incredibly robust approach to examining them, together make Private Security Companies a thrilling contribution to the body of literature on force privatization." Dr Molly Dunigan, RAND Corporation, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
"An original and comprehensive analysis of the private security industry in the Czech Republic, its close linkages with Czech policy makers, and its impact on politics and public security. Old?ich Bure 's book is of interest to a wide range of scholars and practitioners from politics, international relations, criminology, sociology and law." Professor Elke Krahmann, Professor of Security Studies at Brunel University, UK
"Bure shows that the privatization processes in Central and Eastern Europe have affected also security and the politics surrounding its provision. His book opens a rare window on the Czech context where security entrepreneurs are core to both security and politics. It inspires questions about similar processes elsewhere.'' Professor Anna Leander, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Old?ich Bureš is the head of the Center for Security Studies at Metropolitan University Prague. His research focuses primarily on the privatization of security and the fight against terrorism. His work has been published in Security Dialogue, Terrorism and Political Violence, International Studies Review, Cooperation and Conflict and several other key journals.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Private Security Companies
Book Subtitle: Transforming Politics and Security in the Czech Republic
Authors: Oldřich Bureš
Series Title: Central and Eastern European Perspectives on International Relations
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137477521
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan London
eBook Packages: Palgrave Intern. Relations & Development Collection, Political Science and International Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2015
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-137-47751-4Published: 16 July 2015
eBook ISBN: 978-1-137-47752-1Published: 21 July 2015
Series ISSN: 2947-7980
Series E-ISSN: 2947-7999
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: X, 176
Topics: Military and Defence Studies, International Relations, European Politics, US Politics, Political Science, Policing