Resources
Articles
Anderson, Mary. "Thought Piece: Anti-corruption Mechanisms Causing Conflict?" The Nexus: Corruption, Conflict, & Peacebuilding Col oquium. Boston: The Fletcher School, Tufts University, 2007.
This article briefly examines various types of anti-corruption measures to determine which are best to address corruption in countries without leading to more corruption or conflict. Anderson tentatively suggests that people within their own societies can come up with the best solutions.
Church, Cheyanne. "Thought Piece: Peacebuilding and Corruption: How may they collide?" The Nexus: Corruption, Conflict, & Peacebuilding Col oquium. Boston: The Fletcher School, Tufts University, 2007.
In this short article, Church examines three ways that corruption and peacebuilding intersect: 1) Ignorance is Bliss: unintentional use of corruption to facilitate peacebuilding ends; 2) Buying the Peace: the use of corruption, explicitly or implicitly, to obtain an end to violence, general y but not exclusive to, high-level political interactions such as peace agreements; and 3) Part and Parcel: where peacebuilders and peacebuilding agencies are the corrupt actors
Holt, Victoria K., and Alix J. Boucher. "Framing the Issue: UN Responses to Corruption and Criminal Networks in Post-Conflict Settings." International Peacekeeping 15, no. 3 (2008): 20–32.
This article explores the links between UN peace operations and criminal networks. The authors argue that the United Nations as a whole needs to better integrate its capabilities to empower UN peace operations to effectively go after these criminals that can hinder peace processes.
Kemp, Walter A. "The Business of Ethnic Conflict." Security Dialogue 35 (2004): 43–59.
In this article, Kemp examines the relationship among crime, corruption, politics, and ethnic polarization and argues that many current conflicts rage on because at one party has a vested interest, economic or otherwise, in perpetuating the conflict and creating instability.
Le Bil on, Philippe. "Corrupting Peace? Peacebuilding and Post-conflict Corruption." International Peacekeeping 15, no. 3 (2008): 344–361.
Le Bil on asserts that many conflict-afflicted countries are also the most corrupt in the world; thus, peacebuilding efforts often attempt to address corruption. However, some of the primary tools of peacebuilding, which include democratization, can actual y lead to an increase in corruption.
Rose-Ackerman, Susan. "Corruption and Government." International Peacekeeping 15, no. 3 (2008): 328–343.
Rose-Ackerman points to the difficulty of addressing corruption in post-conflict environments but maintains that ant-corruption measures must be implemented because ignoring them would imperil efforts at peace. She recommends for the international community to encourage local leaders to speak out against corruption.
Shelley, Louise. "The Unholy Trinity: Transnational Crime, Corruption, and Terrorism." Brown Journal of World Affairs XI, no. 2 (Winter/Spring 2005): 101–111.
This article compares older criminal networks with ones that emerge from post-conflict environments. Shelley argues that while older criminal groups work within the institutions of the state, the more modern criminal networks thrive on instability and are more likely to align themselves with terrorist groups.
Warren, Mark E. "What Does Corruption Mean in a Democracy?" American Journal of Political Science 48, no. 2 (2004): 328–343.
Warren explores the relationship between democracy and corruption and comes to the conclusion that the presence of widespread corruption in a democracy signifies that a country lacks or is losing some of its democratic character.
Zaum, Dominik, and Christine Cheng. "Corruption and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding." Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, 2008.
The authors argue that, contrary to popular belief, corruption in post-conflict environments may be a necessary evil in the short run to allow combatants to come to a political settlement and to complete such tasks as disarmament. Furthermore, they argue that corruption is primarily a political problem and that anti-corruption measures must reflect that reality.
Academic Reports
Blechinger, Verena. Corruption and Political Parties. Management Systems International, Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, November 2002.
This report focuses on corruption among political parties, including during election campaigns, activities within national parliaments, and party control over public assets and institutions.
Bolongaita, Emil. Control ing Corruption in Post-Conflict Countries. South Bend, IN: Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, January 2005.
This report addresses the problem of corruption in post-conflict societies. The author argues that corruption is one of the biggest chal enges of a post-conflict environment, because opportunities for corruption are relatively high while risk of punishment is relatively low.
Boucher, Alix J. et al. Mapping and Fighting Corruption in War-torn States. Washington, DC: Henry L. Stimson Center, 2007.
This report serves as a lengthy literature review of how scholars have described and analyzed the problem of corruption in post-conflict environments as wel as tangible steps to address it.
Fund for Peace. The Effect of the Kimberley Process on Governance, Corruption, & Internal Conflict. Washington, DC, 2006.
This report examines the successes and failures of the Kimberley Process, focusing specifical y on governance and corruption, and offers recommendations for improving the process such as linking foreign aid to compliance.
International Crisis Group. Escaping the Conflict Trap: Promoting Good Governance in the Congo. Brussels, 2006.
The report focuses on the pervasive corruption among the Congolese parliament, courts, military, and civil service and recommends that donor countries initiate new programs and apply political pressure to ensure that anti-corruption reforms are truly implemented.
Kaufmann, Daniel. Myths and Realities of Governance and Corruption. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005.
In this piece, Kaufmann explores various aspects of governance and corruption in an attempt to dispel some of the more commonly held notions about the subject (Myth # 5: It takes generations for governance to improve).
Yehoue, Etienne B. Ethnic Diversity, Democracy, and Corruption. IMF Working Paper, Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund Institute, 2007.
In this report, Yehoue examines the relationship between ethnic diversity, democracy, and corruption. He suggests that at least initially, new democracies can actually lead to more corruption. However, as democracies mature, they become less prone to corruption.
Books
Collier, Paul. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
In this book, Collier points out that the real crisis of global poverty and instability lies in a group of about 50 failing states (the bottom billion). These states are undergoing a struggle between reformers and corrupt leaders—and the corrupt are currently winning. What the bottom billion needs, Collier argues, is sustained support and engagement by the highly industrialized Group of Eight nations.
Fishman, Raymond and Edward Miguel. Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence and the Poverty of Nations. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008.
This book uses the field of economics, a la Freakonomics, to profile various aspects of corruption and il icit activities and how government officials and bureaucrats use and misuse status and foreign aid for their own purposes.
Glenny, Misha. McMafia: A Journey through the Global Criminal Underworld. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
This book charts the rapid growth in organized crime since the end of the Cold War. Interestingly, Glenny argues that global crime syndicates’ activities are fueled both by the poverty in the developing world and the relative affluence of Western nations, which seem to have an insatiable appetite for illegal goods.
Johnston, Michael. Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth Power, and Democracy. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Examining the strength or weakness of the state, as well as political and social institutions that sustain and restrain corruption, Johnston argues that there are four major syndromes of corruption among countries: Influence Markets (United States); Elite Cartels (South Korea); Oligarchs and Clans (Mexico); and Official Moguls (China).
Maass, Peter. Crude World: The Violent Twilight of Oil. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
Maass profiles the entire globe, from Saudi Arabia to Equatorial Guinea, to examine oil’s impact on the countries that produce it and the countries that consume it. He asserts that oil, for both the producing and consumer, has a corrupting influence that has served to worsen existing global problems and create new ones.
O'Brien, Mitchel , Rick Stapenhurst, and Niall Johnston. Parliaments as Peacebuilders in Conflict-affected Countries. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2008.
This book surveys various themes and case studies (Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, South Africa, etc.) to lay out the proper role of parliaments in alleviating conflict, addressing issues of poverty, and creating oversight to foster governmental accountability and prevent corruption.
Rose-Ackerman, Susan. Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
In this book, Rose-Ackerman argues that high levels of corruption can limit investment and growth, especially in developing countries, which in turn would lead to dysfunctional governance.
To tackle this program, the author suggests that the primary goal of any would-be reformer should be to reduce the gains from paying and receiving bribes.
Smith, Daniel Jordan. A Culture of Corruption: Everyday Deception and Popular Discontent in Nigeria. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007.
This book examines Nigeria’s pervasive culture of corruption to understand how everyday Nigerians navigate through the system. Smith argues that it is impossible to grasp Nigerian politics and ethnic nationalism and violence without first factoring the role of corruption and popular reactions to it.
Williams, Phil. Criminals, Militias, and Insurgents: Organized Crime in Iraq. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army Strategic Studies Institute, 2009
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubid=930.
Williams examines how Iraqi criminal networks, al-Qaeda, and Sunni militias use corrupt activities to fund their campaigns of political violence throughout Iraq. He also traces the evolution of corruption and criminal activity since the U.S. military invaded the country in 2003.
Wrong, Michela. It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.
In this book, Wrong tel s the story of John Githongo, an anti-corruption czar under the Kenyan government of President Mwai Kibaki, who decides to go forward with evidence of corruption committed by his fellow colleagues, putting his safety at great risk.
Online Reports & Resources
Freedom House—http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1
Founded in 1941, Freedom House is an independent organizations that advocates, measures, and monitor the extent of democratic change and freedoms around the world
FRONTLINE/World The Business of Bribes: An Investigation into International Bribery http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/
This special feature investigates case studies of bribery and corruption in countries such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Britain and the people who, risking their safety, tried to expose the il icit practices.
FRONTLINE documentary “Black Money”—http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/blackmoney/
This investigative report by Lowel Bergman exposes instances when multinational corporations make secret payments to governments to illicitly win favor and gain business contracts without fair competition.
FRONTLINE Tehran Bureau – “An Administration Plagued by Fraud and Corruption –
Muhammad Sahimi—
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/03/ahmadinejad-and-his—
men-embodiments-of-fraud-and-corruption.html
This article, written in opposition to the current Iranian regime, highlights the extent of fraud and corruption of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the administrations that he has headed, and the people close to him.
Global Integrity – http://www.globalintegrity.org/
Global Integrity is an independent non-profit organization that tracks governance and corruption around the world. It releases a yearly report detailing the extent of accountable and democratic governance in countries around the world.
Los Angeles Times: Mexico Under Siege: The drug war at our doorstep –
http://projects.latimes.com/mexico-drug-war/#/its-a-war
This webpage contains the Lost Angeles Times’ special feature on the Mexican drug war, including over 40 articles on corruption among the Mexican government, military, and police that impedes the fight against the drug cartels.
United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Democracy and Governance Anti-Corruption webpage— http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/technical_areas/anti-corruption/
This website contains information on USAID Office of Democracy and Governance’s programs and publications that guide their global efforts to combat corruption.
Transparency International—http://www.transparency.org/
Transparency International is a global anti-corruption advocacy group that has national offices in 90 countries. It produces the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) as wel as the Bribe Payers’ Index (BPI) and the Global Corruption Barometer (GCB).
U4 Anti-corruption Resource Center—http://www.u4.no
This webpage, which seeks to promote an informed approach to anti-corruption efforts, contains policy briefs, reports, and case studies of corruption and best practices to combat it from the Christian Michelsen Institute based in Bergen, Norway.
Vision of Humanity—http://www.visionofhumanity.org/index.php
This website contains the Global Peace Index (GPI), which is the first index that ranks countries in terms of its peacefulness and identifies some of the key drivers of peace around the world.
World Bank Institute: Governance and Anti-Corruption
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/EXTWBIGOVANTCOR/0,,menuPK:1740542 pagePK:64168427piPK:64168435~theSitePK:1740530,00.html
This website is a World Bank resource page on the subjects of governance and anti-corruption. It contains information on World Bank programs, research papers, quantitative data, and new articles relating to issues of governance and anti-corruption.
World Bank Blog: Governance Matters —http://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/
This World Bank blog on governance and anti-corruption serves as an independent forum for scholars and the public to discuss and share information on topics ranging from ways to strengthen rule of law institutions to the use of foreign aid for corrupt practices.
Online Classroom Resources
Carnegie Council: Fighting Corruption – Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and the Enforcement of Global Human Rights Norms http://www.cceia.org/education/002/lessons/be/be-03-01
This lesson plan introduces students to the effects that corruption has on governance, international business, and human rights.
EDsitement: The Presidential Election of 1824: The Election is in the House http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=549
This lesson plan examines the controversy surrounding the 1824 U.S. Presidential Election, which is commonly called the “corrupt bargain,” in which Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but lost the presidency to John Quincy Adams in the House of Representatives using the candidates’ campaign rhetoric, an analysis on the Electoral Col ege, and the politics surrounding the decision in the House of Representatives.
PBS Global Connections – Liberia: Private Profits and Public Policies
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/liberia/educators/uspolicy/lesson1.html
This lesson plan analyzes the historical economic factors shape U.S. and Liberian foreign policy through the examination of the sometimes il icit trade in diamonds, timber, rubber, and guns.
PBS Nightly Business Report: Video #21—The Philippines: Corruption and the Economy
http://www.pbs.org/nbr/site/research/educators/060106_21a/#2