Dark Markets, Bright Minds: Educating Students on the Illicit Global Economy

• In Event: Roundtable: Understanding Each Other – Comparative Criminal Justice in Research and Teaching

Abstract

This presentation highlights an innovative study abroad program, Marketing & the Underground Economy, which immerses students in a multidisciplinary exploration of illicit markets within the dynamic context of Costa Rica. Integrating marketing, economics, and criminology, the program offered students a rare opportunity to analyze the complex mechanisms underpinning the global underground economy. From online exploitation and the dark web to illegal substance trade and information trafficking, students critically examine the strategies and structures of illicit enterprises.
Through interactive discussions, fieldwork, and case studies, participants investigate the marketing tactics used by underground actors, assess the economic impact of illegal markets, and explore criminological theories related to deviance and enforcement. The curriculum is enhanced by cultural immersion experiences, including visits to biodiversity centers, humanitarian organizations, and wildlife rescue centers. This program not only equips students with academic insights but also fosters global awareness and civic responsibility in addressing transnational economic crime

Author

• Julie Schnobrich-Davis, Central Connecticut State University