Politics

Political Corruption

Module code: L2046
Level 6
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Dissertation

"Corruption", in the words of the World Bank "is the single greatest obstacle to global economic and social development. It distorts the rule of law and weakens the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends". For this, and other reasons, corruption now occupies a central place as an issue of public concern across the democratic world.

Yet, the problem of corruption in all its different guises is not a new one. For as long as humans have conferred authority on rulers, there has always been the threat that those rulers will use that authority for personal – rather than public – advantage. Despite the longstanding and intimate connection between politics and corruption, analysis of the "dark side" remains relatively under-studied.

The objective of this module is to shed some light on this "dark side" by developing analytical and theoretical tools that will allow us to analyse corruption across both time and space. We will begin by analysing exactly what we understand by 'corrupt' behaviour and how this appears to differ (often quite starkly) across national boundaries:

  • Do humans appear to be naturally corrupt? If so, does this matter?
  • Is corrupt behaviour absolute and universal or does it depend on location and context?
    Can corruption sometimes even be a good thing?

Armed with the analytical tools aimed at unpacking the complex phenomenon of political corruption, we will examine specific examples of corruption across the developed world, ranging from systematic abuses of power by parties and politicians to small-scale, almost trivial, petty misdemeanours. This analysis then provides a foundation for examining what reforms might contribute to lessening instances of political corruption in the western world.

Module learning outcomes

  • Identify a topic suitable for research relating to political corruption
  • Plan and carry out a research project relating to political corruption which sustains a line of argument
  • Locate and evaluate a range of resources appropriate to a topic on political corruption
  • Make use of constructive feedback on the development of their ideas in the implementation of a research topic related to political corruption