LSA 2025 IN CHICAGO: EXPLORING CRN41’S CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMIC CRIME AND CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

We are delighted to announce that synergy has been established between Collaborative Research Network 41 “Economic Crime and Corporate Compliance” (CRN41) and the Corporate Crime Observatory (CCO), reflecting our shared commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research and enhancing the visibility of work on economic crime and corporate compliance.

CRN41 is an interdisciplinary research group dedicated to advancing the study of economic crime and corporate compliance through academic inquiry and dynamic dialogue among scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. It has been established within the Law & Society Association (LSA), an international organization that brings together experts from various disciplines to investigate the interconnections between law and social change.

The activities of CRN41 will focus on exploring long-standing challenges affecting the corporate world, such as corruption and tax abuses, while also examining emerging issues like environmental crimes, cybercrime, and the impact of technology on transparency and governance. Together, CRN41 and the CCO will foster a vibrant intellectual community committed to addressing the evolving complexities of law and regulatory frameworks in a globalized context. We hope that this collaboration will amplify our common research objectives and pave the way for an even greater impact across legal, criminological, sociological, and other relevant disciplines.

Under this collaboration, the CCO is pleased to share the work the CRN41 Organizers (Diane Ring, Costantino Grasso, Donato Vozza, Li Huang, and Stephen Holden) have done for the LSA Annual Meeting, which will be held in Chicago in May 2025, by presenting the comprehensive agenda including innovative paper and roundtable sessions. We are especially excited that more than 40 members of our research group will gather in Chicago this May to take part in this vibrant event!

The sessions for the LSA Annual Meeting in Chicago are designed as a multi-disciplinary forum that fosters dialogue and collaborative research on a wide range of criminal phenomena associated with economic activities. A central theme throughout the sessions is the significance of transparency and the role of emerging technologies in maintaining accountability. The CRN41 sessions will highlight how whistleblowing and investigative journalism have become vital components in enhancing accountability in the corporate environment and safeguarding democratic processes. Additional attention will be given to the growing influence of artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies in both enabling and combating misconduct.

The program is structured into a series of paper and roundtable sessions. In the paper sessions, individual scholarly presentations probe into critical issues such as the ideological underpinnings of anti-corruption measures.

For instance, presentations around “Critical Perspectives on Anti-Corruption(ism)” examine the extent to which anti-corruptionism is more about legitimating and strengthening global capitalism than about 'cracking down' on corporate and state criminality. Other sessions, such as “Beyond Profit: Redefining Corporate Accountability in a Globalized World,” provide insights into whether and how legal frameworks are being challenged and reshaped to hold corporations responsible for the adverse consequences of their actions impacting human rights, the environment, and society. Equally engaging are the sessions focused on investigative journalism and whistleblowing, where presentations will revolve around the concept of “The Ecosystem of Truth” as developed by the work of Dr. Costantino Grasso to reveal the indispensable role that media and disclosure play in exposing corporate misconduct.

Complementing the paper sessions are roundtable discussions that invite in-depth debates on broad themes and policy issues. One session, entitled “Disinformation, Corporate Compliance and Enforcement. Platforms’ Accountability and Regulatory Models Between Europe and US,” focuses on the issue of the involvement of large corporations – in particular very large online platforms – in the fight against the commission of online crimes and the dissemination of disinformation content. In that regard, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Prof. Antonio Gullo from LUISS University for organizing this session and for the support provided by both his academic network and his university in contributing to the success of this initiative.

Another roundtable centers on “Whistleblowing in Democracy,” emphasizing the importance of robust legal protections to secure justice, transparency, and organizational integrity in democratic environments. Finally, the roundtable focused on “Tech-Powered Disclosures” explores the transformative role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing internal corporate transparency and compliance by improving the effectiveness of internal disclosures and whistleblowers’ reports.

Each session within the attached program (please see the pdf below) is detailed with scheduling, location information, and descriptions of session organizers, chairs, presenters, and panelists.

CCO - CRN41 - Chicago Sessions (2025).pdf

Download PDF • 2.15MB

In summary, the sessions for the LSA Annual Meeting in Chicago represent a fascinating and inclusive roadmap for engaging with pressing issues in economic crime and corporate compliance. This event will not only serve as an invitation to join academic discussions but also as a guide to fostering a collaborative environment among diverse stakeholders committed to shaping future policies related to the corporate world and connected business practices.

We invite you to delve into this rich agenda, join us in the debate, and become an active participant in the transformative dialogue that is set to redefine our understanding of corporate and economic crime in a globalized context.

#CCO #CRN41 #CorporateCrimeObservatory #Compliance #CorporateCrime #CorporateEthics #CorporateResponsibility #Crime #EconomicCrime #CorporateCrime #EconomicCrime #CorporateCompliance #LSA #LawAndSociety #InterdisciplinaryResearch #WhiteCollarCrime #Corruption #TaxJustice #Whistleblowing #Journalism #Governance #Transparency #AI #Cybercrime #Democracy #Justice #Integrity #Disinformation #SLAPP #Bribery