CLSC,_Article,_20_Apr_15.pdf (410.31 kB)
People power and anti-corruption; demystifying citizen-centred approaches
In recent years there has been an ever expanding body of work that advocates putting the citizen at the centre of attempts to tackle corruption. The task of anti-corruption policy, so the argument goes, is to empower citizens to act against those who behave in a corrupt fashion. This article illustrates that whilst there is much to be said for encouraging citizens to move against corrupt officials, and citizen-centred anti-corruption ideas subsequently appear attractive in theory, implementing these notions (as they currently stand) in practice is problematic. Attacking corruption may well often be done most successfully by not openly claiming that that is the aim, and by embracing more indirect reform paths. The article concludes that without buy-in from not just citizens, but also from governments and external agents, citizen-centred anti-corruption mechanisms become limited, potentially irrelevant or even damaging as citizen apathy and frustration increases.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Crime, Law and Social ChangeISSN
0925-4994Publisher
Springer VerlagExternal DOI
Issue
1Volume
64Page range
23-35Department affiliated with
- Politics Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2015-09-25First Open Access (FOA) Date
2016-11-10First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2015-09-25Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedLicence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC