[Policy State Conversations] Gangs, insurgents, mafias and states: a unified theory of governance

Policy State Conversations

Sciences Po, 1 place Saint-Thomas d'Aquin, 75007, Paris

Registration

The talk first briefly introduces the key authors I draw upon (the 'intellectual ancestors') and then it outlines the key elements of a unified theory of governance. Among the 'ancestors', I list Nicolo' Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, the mercantilist thinkers of the 17th century, and, among contemporary authors, Frederick Lane, Robert Nozick, Diego Gambetta and Mansur Olson. I then outline the propositions of the theory, including the properties of protection, natural monopoly, externalities, reputation building, division of labour, time-horizon and economies of scale. In the final part of the talk, I apply these propositions to the behaviour of mafias and states.

Speaker

Federico Varese, Professor of Sociology (Professeur des Universités) in the Centre d'études européennes et de politique comparée (Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics), affiliated to the Department of Sociology, Oxford University, a Senior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, and the Director of the Extra-legal Institute. Between 2021 and 2023, he was Director of the Department of Sociology at Oxford University.

Chair 

Philippe Bezes, Sciences Po, CEE, CNRS

*Seminar of The state as producer of public policies key theme