International Security Praxis: Reflective Learning Journal Entry

This assignment comprises a student's reflective learning journal entries on international security praxis, focusing on two sessions. The first session highlights serious organised crime in the UK, emphasizing the speaker's insights on human trafficking and national security threats. The student reflects on challenged assumptions, the need for more knowledge on human slavery and cyber-attacks, and the importance of changing opinions on crime. The second session delves into money laundering and corruption, particularly in Nigeria, discussing financial commissions and bribery. The student identifies difficulties in understanding corruption, the need for more information on bribery forms, and how public perception aligns with actual corruption experiences. Both sessions are deemed useful for enhancing knowledge and studies in crime and security.

International Security Praxis
Learning Journal Template
Student name:
Course studied:
Section 1A - reflective notes
In a few sentences, please answer all of these questions for the session selected:
1. What did you consider the most striking element of this event/session?
• This event is all about serious organised crime in UK.
• I think striking event was that when I was listening to the session. I feel that I can
easily connect with the speaker as he is putting his view point very clearly.
• I got understanding of current problems which is faced under serious organised
crime.
• Speaker has deal with human trafficking, national threat leadership yet he was so
down to earth and answering all the questions properly after carefully listening.
2. Has this event reinforced or challenged your assumptions, understanding, perceptions
and ideas?
• Yes, this event has definitely challenged my assumption. Earlier I was not having ideas of
serious and organised crime.
• By attending this event I came to know that how this crime is affecting UK people very much
as compare to another security threat (Hansen, 2018).
• It is costing UK almost £ 37 billion every year. It is also costing more deaths in UK every year
when compared with other national threats.
• Speaker of this event was very friendly and I did not get bored for single minute. I
can say that the sessions were very interesting.
3. Was anything associated with this event confusing or difficult to understand?
• I did not understand his personal challenges properly. As speaker has mentioned
about his personal challenges while working in a police department.
• I only understood is that he has to work very secretly because this is not the easy job
and if any confidential information gets leaked then it can become problem for complete
police department.
• He also mentioned certain legislation and policies but I did not got clarity on that
topic.
4. What more do I need to know about this issue to help my understanding?

• I should know more about human slavery system. As earlier the meaning of slavery
for me is to force people to work for them and made them slave.
• But after attending this session I got clarity that slavery system also includes human
trafficking along with forced labour.
• I also need to know about cyber-attacks because it is common nowadays (Low,
2017). But if I got understanding of it then it will be easy for me to save myself from such
crimes.
• I think knowledge on cybercrime will be helpful to understand this session properly
and quickly.
5. Should I refine my ideas and beliefs as a consequence of attending this event?
• After attending this event I think I should have change my opinions on crime because
earlier I was not having ideas that there is so much crime but after attending this
event I got understanding of various crime and also how dangerous they are.
• I think I must know more about synthetic drugs so that I can be aware of drugs.
• As while travelling there is probability that people can carry drugs so little knowledge
will keep me aware.
• As the cocaine market has increased in UK. So by having understanding about drugs I
can spread awareness.
6. How could I identify, locate and interpret relevant information and resources to learn
more about this issue?
• Speaker has given deep knowledge about organised crime and I think this knowledge
is enough for an individual to understand about the issue.
• I have decided while listening to session only that I will do the research on firearms
trafficking.
• As this concept is new for me and I have listen this word for the first time. So I like to
do research on it.
• I also got to know that online payment crime is increasing day by day. So next time I
will be careful while doing online payment.
7. How can I use this experience to improve my learning and thinking and working?
• I can say that it was great experience of attending this event.
• I have noticed that speaker was very confident while speaking.
• I have also noticed his body language and that will help me to work on an event if in
the future I will get opportunity to lead the event.
• I will also look for the statistics and percentage of people who got affected from
different types of crime (Buil-Gil and et.al., 2021).
• I also learn about the concept of positivity. I noticed that speaker was very calm even
while addressing serious topic.
8. How does this event relate to what I have learnt elsewhere on my modules/course?
How does it confirm/contradict modules attended so far?
• This event has given common knowledge which everyone should have in today’s
world so that can safeguard yourself from crime.
• I think when you get to know about crime groups then you get more aware.
9. How does this event relate to what I have previously read? How does it
confirm/contradict this literature?

• I think I have previously also read about various organised crime and I also have
knowledge about human trafficking earlier as well.
• So my previous knowledge has helped me to understand this topic more clearly.
• Although from this event I got detailed understanding on drugs.
10. Was this event/session useful to my studies? How?
• Yes, this event is useful for my studies because I am planning to do research on
organised crime and this has enhanced my knowledge on this subject.
• This has also boost my confidence level and I can say that this is the best event of my life.
Session 2
Section 2A - reflective notes
In a few sentences, please answer all of these questions for the session selected:
1. What did you consider the most striking element of this event/session?
 I think that the speaker has very well explained the topic and also had given detail
knowledge about money laundering.
 Earlier I was not aware that money laundering has relations with other crimes as well.
Speaker was quite confident and that I liked the most about her.
2. Has this event reinforced or challenged your assumptions, understanding, perceptions
and ideas?
 By attending this session, I get knowledge about financial commission.
 It got to know that to monitor financial crime is also the work of financial commission.
 This session has also highlighted corruption cases which takes place at public offices.
3. Was anything associated with this event confusing or difficult to understand?
 The main difficulty that arise while learning about perspective of Nigeria about transnational
organized crime was understanding different ways by which corruption increases.
 At the end speaker spoke about the total numbers of jewellery that women have and was
being accounted as bribe that leads corruption (Ebekozien, 2020).

 She stated that there are around 40-million-dollar jewellery accounted as a bribe but when I
searched the it was only 6% and there was a huge difference.
 As compared to females, in Nigeria, there are numbers of males who are in public sector
who take bribe and they take bribe in the form of cash. So, it was the little bit confusion.
4. What more do I need to know about this issue to help my understanding?
 I need to know all forms in which bribes are being given.
 It can help me out in knowing the extent of corruption in Nigeria.
 Along with this, I need to know about roles and policies developed by international corrupt
practices commission. About this commission, speaker spoke in detailed manner.
 But with research, I can know all about numbers of bribes and data related to different forms
that lead corruption.
5. Should I refine my ideas and beliefs as a consequence of attending this event?
 Before attending this event, I had a few knowledge regarding corruption as I had knowledge
as bribe is given to all governmental employees but I did not have any idea regarding share
of food and drink is the form of bribe.
 It changed by thinking and now I can say that bribe can be given in any form whether it can
be costly alcohol and others.
 Sometimes governmental officers and people work in public sector ask for favour regarding
specific service.
6. How could I identify, locate and interpret relevant information and resources to learn
more about this issue?
 Public perception regarding corruption is not well-aligned with actual experience of
corruption and it is known by viewing actual statistical or data related to this/
 By researching more about actual information and public perception is the only way to know
more about this issue.
 I can then know that how many people are actually in the favour of corruption and how
many people are bind to give bribe (Page, 2018). As from the research, it is known that

numbers of people support for anti-corruption policies and it can help us out in bringing
positive changes.
7. How can I use this experience to improve my learning and thinking and working?
 In regard to this session, I can say that speaker had vast knowledge regarding perception of
Nigeria about corruption and different forms in which bribe is given.
 This session increased my knowledge to the great extent as I knew about some ways by
which we can check the actual report regarding corruption with perception of people.
 By conducting online survey also, I can know more about this problem and this topic. I can
participate in more sessions like this that can also help me out in knowing about perception
of Nigeria about bribe and corruption.
8. How does this event relate to what I have learnt elsewhere on my modules/course?
How does it confirm/contradict modules attended so far?
 I have attended course that was related to anti-corruption and crimes and there I have learnt
that bribe is one of the main crime. So, I can relate this event or session with my course.
 That course helped me out in understanding about corruption and bribe.
 This increased my knowledge related to this topic and I believe that I can give answers
related to this topic.
 I can also write about this one in the list of numbers of crime and can gain more knowledge
with detailed research and development.
9. How does this event relate to what I have previously read? How does it
confirm/contradict this literature?
 Previously I have learnt about numbers of crimes as which types of crimes are increasing,
why they are increasing and policies in the UK.
 When I attended that activity that time I knew that corruption is one of the crimes that is
everywhere and affecting people to the great extent.
 Now in this session I came to know that due to corruption the gap between the rich and
people is increasing because it is increasing resources allocation gap.

 People in urban and developed countries as well as people with high income can give bribe
in order to get their work done but the poor cannot give bribe so, they have to suffer the
most (Okon, 2018).
 I also came to know with this session that education is one of the sector where bribe is
being given in order to get children admission done but poor children left behind.
 After having capabilities, they face problems and it is the resource allocation gap that is one
of the main crimes for which I have learnt in previous literature.
10. Was this event/session useful to my studies? How?
 This session was very helpful to me and it cleared many doubts related to my course and
study.
 I can clearly say that I can use this knowledge in my next session that would be interrelated.
This session would help me out in understanding needs of security, areas where commission
required providing security and others.
Session 3
Section 3A - reflective notes
In a few sentences, please answer all of these questions for the session selected:
1. What did you consider the most striking element of this event/session?
• One of the most striking point from the session for me was the knowledge about the
department of political affairs and the working of African Union.
• This session started by addressing the issues faced by the people living in Africa.
• These issues are in large extent and wide range which a common man never thought of.

• Therefore, it makes it important for the unions and organisations such as African union to
come in power and work a step forward to attain the peace and security in the area
(Williams, 2018).
• This department is working on different ways to attain the desired peace in the country.
• All the different parts of the African continent are having some criminal activity running in
the place which are very major.
• This information came out as a shock for me.
2. Has this event reinforced or challenged your assumptions, understanding, perceptions
and ideas?
• One of the most striking point from the session for me was the knowledge about the
department of political affairs and the working of African Union.
• This session started by addressing the issues faced by the people living in Africa.
• These issues are in large extent and wide range which a common man never thought of.
• Therefore, it makes it important for the unions and organisations such as African union to
come in power and work a step forward to attain the peace and security in the area
(Williams, 2018).
• This department is working on different ways to attain the desired peace in the country.
• All the different parts of the African continent are having some criminal activity running in
the place which are very major.
• This information came out as a shock for me.
3. Was anything associated with this event confusing or difficult to understand?
• The department of political affairs works on the aim of prevention, management and
resolution of the conflicts.
• It has also worked with different organisations such as the economic community of
west Africa state and many more like this.
• It was a bit confusing to understand the working of these associations together.
• Both the departments works to attain the common aim but the main area of focus is
different for them.
• This collaboration was confusing at the time of the session and I will require more
information in the same matter to have a better understanding.
4. What more do I need to know about this issue to help my understanding?
• The work done by African Union is great in terms of building more peace and security
in the area.

• I want to know more about the policies and practices done by the same.
• I understood the need of security in the country is increasing due to the crimes such
as drug trafficking, kidnapping and cyber crimes.
• I am interested in knowing more about the different ways and measures taken by the
associations.
5. Should I refine my ideas and beliefs as a consequence of attending this event?
• As told in the fourth part, I can make use of the policies followed by the African
Union and the different ways which they follow.
• I had no idea that the crimes in this place has extended to this major extend and
that too in almost all the different parts of the continent.
• Terrorism has made its place in so many locations and some of which is still an active
part of the terrorism groups mainly in the southern Africa.
• Human and drug trafficking is grown as very few people are of such crimes (Murithi,
2017).
• The part of the Africa surrounded by the gulf region is famous for criminal activities
such as kidnapping of the girls, and many criminal activities on the sea side.
• I on my personal level must also have more knowledge of such crimes to avoid
getting involved in one.
6. How could I identify, locate and interpret relevant information and resources to learn
more about this issue?
• The websites of the organisations mentioned by the speaker is very helpful in
clearing all the doubts I have as well as the things I am eager to learn about.
• If my time allows, I will use it to research more about the situation there and also
the different ways to make these situations better and provide the people a better
future.
• All the new programs and initiatives started by the African Union is displayed on their
organisation's website.
7. How can I use this experience to improve my learning and thinking and working?
• It was a great experience to attend this session with a speaker contributing in
bringing peace and security.

• She has so much knowledge about the crimes happening in the place and have
interested me in finding more data of the funds and resources required by the
organisations.
• In more general sense I would like to know about the sources which are required in
the process.
• I have to more open and mentally prepared to learn about the crime cases as it can
be very overwhelming.
8. How does this event relate to what I have learnt elsewhere on my modules/course?
How does it confirm/contradict modules attended so far?
• The talk from this session was related to the methods which helps in solving all the
issues faced by the people which I have studies in the other modules.
• The speaker is involved in same organisation and helping for better good is the
example of ways to eradicate such crimes.
9. How does this event relate to what I have previously read? How does it
confirm/contradict this literature?
• Previously I have learnt about the Crimes happening in the countries of Africa such as
Nigeria.
• The after that I attained the knowledge of the increase in corruption and bribery in
place.
• These crimes are exploiting humans and being a bad sign on the economy of the
country.
• It is important to create new ways to erase all these to have a better life and here
comes the work of organisations such as the one which is the speaker itself is
working.
• They are focusing more on the political violence and the security situation in the
African countries, helping in decreasing the crime rate.

Session 4
Section 4A - reflective notes
In a few sentences, please answer all of these questions for the session selected:
1. What did you consider the most striking element of this event/session?
• This session conducted was about the issue of human trafficking of Nigerian girls in
Europe.
• This session was coming from a prosecutor itself and got to know the details of such
crimes and illegal things.
• Very few people talk the truth about this issue and with this I can now understand
the problems dealing with such cases.
• The speaker talked about the exploitation that Nigerians are facing due to their
economic problems.
• Traffickers exploit them physically as well as psychologically.
• The speaker also explained about the current trends in the human trafficking system
which helps the prosecutors to identify such chains.
2. Has this event reinforced or challenged your assumptions, understanding,
perceptions and ideas?
• Listening about this issue was definitely challenging for me as I had no idea that this
issue is living freely in the streets of Italy.
• Attending this event has made me understanding the inside of such crimes.
• Earlier I had this question that why can these victims from human trafficking come
forward but now I understand that while they hold a major grudge against the
traffickers for exploiting them at such extends, they also have a feeling of gratitude
towards them for helping in their economic situations (Dunkerley, 2018).
• It is difficult for the girls from Nigeria to settle in a foreign country like Europe as they
do not known the language or any beliefs of the local people and then traffickers
come into action and ask them to stay and work with the traffickers.
• Due to many problems the asylums also deny their services to the real victims as the
victims have no other options than saying the lies.

3. Was anything associated with this event confusing or difficult to understand?
• The confusion and the main difficulty I got from this session is on what the speaker
was talking about how the traffickers handle the victims.
• I did not understand on how the prosecutors gather the information and witnesses
against the traffickers.
• I also did not understand on how the traffickers deal with sending money to the
accounts of victims family and all such transactions and the reason behind why all
this information is not easily accessible to the prosecutors.
• All these matters are not very clear in my head.
4. What more do I need to know about this issue to help my understanding?
• I am keen to know more about the issue of human trafficking.
• I understood how this whole illegal system works and what all can be done to make
the prosecution easy.
• I would want more knowledge about how the law and order system works for such
matters where the victims cannot tell the complete truth even if they try their best
(Abiodun, and et.al., 2017).
• I want to know what the common people can do more to stop happening of such
activities and how can we help in getting the real voice out in the open.
5. Should I refine my ideas and beliefs as a consequence of attending this event?
• I have a new sense of increased respect for the prosecutors and judges dealing with
such cases as it requires a lot of patience in the individuals handling the victims and
making them speak out against their traffickers and identify the same.
• I believe that I must know and be aware more about how an individual can caught up
in such scheme.
6. How could I identify, locate and interpret relevant information and resources to
learn more about this issue?
• The speaker from this session has provided with enough information related to the
law and order and other matters dealing with handling the victims from trafficking.
• However, I need to gather more information how the law and enforcement works till
the end in such cases.

• This can be done by looking into some old and recent cases as well as going through
the site of law and enforcement of government dealing with such matters.
7. How can I use this experience to improve my learning and thinking and working?
• I believe that I had the best experience and felt honoured to attend this session
where the speaker is the prosecutor herself.
• With so much knowledge I and eager to give more research in this issue and find out
the statistics based on how many similar cases like this happened and from this how
many cases were successful in identifying the trafficker.
• I understand it can be hard for the victims to openly talk and expose such chains.
• The speaker of this session was very calm and patient in explaining all the points.
8. How does this event relate to what I have learnt elsewhere on my
modules/course? How does it confirm/contradict modules attended so far?
• This session is explains the issues of human trafficking faced by the migrates coming
from foreign places.
• The economic condition of such people makes them reach out for help and get
caught between such schemes (Otoide, 2019).
• The main issue behind this problem is the financial problems.
• Such problems are leading to so many other issues such as crimes and corruption
which can be understood in details from the other sessions and modules.
9. How does this event relate to what I have previously read? How does it
confirm/contradict this literature?
• This session is explains the issues of human trafficking faced by the migrates coming
from foreign places.
• The economic condition of such people makes them reach out for help and get
caught between such schemes (Otoide, 2019).
• The main issue behind this problem is the financial problems.
• Such problems are leading to so many other issues such as crimes and corruption
which can be understood in details from the other sessions and modules.
10. Was this event/session useful to my studies? How?