B5575 - POLITICS AND POLICIES OF ANTI-CORRUPTION

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with a general overview and understanding of anti-corruption strategies in different country contexts, within and outside Europe, and at the transnational level. At the end of the course, students will be able to: identify different forms of corruption, their mechanisms and consequences in societies; discuss how and why different political actors engage/do not engage in anti-corruption efforts; evaluate the pros and cons of different anti-corruption strategies, policy instruments and platforms, both institutional and grassroots; assess the role of digital technologies and media in anti-corruption efforts, at national, international, and transnational level.

Course contents

PART I – UNDERSTANDING CORRUPTION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

WEEK 1

Day 1 – Introduction

Day 2 - What is corruption and why it is important?

WEEK 2

Day 1 - How to measure corruption?

Day 2 - Country diagnosis: assessing corruption through different indicators

WEEK 3

Day 1 - Major theories on corruption and anti-corruption strategies

Day 2 - Causes and consequences of corruption

 

PART II – CORRUPTION AND ANTI-CORRUPTION PARADOXES

WEEK 4

Day 1 - Influencing politics and impacting democracy

Day 2 - Corruption scandals and anti-corruption reforms

WEEK 5

Day 1 - Corruption as an international policy problem

Day 2 - Foreign aid, conflict settings and (anti-) corruption

WEEK 6

Day 1 - Rethinking corruption and anti-corruption: Global South vs Global North

Day 2 - Information, media, and (anti-) corruption

 

PART III – ANSWERS TO CORRUPTION

WEEK 7

Day 1 - Top-down efforts to control corruption

Day 2 - Bottom-up approaches to fighting corruption

WEEK 8

Day 1 – The role of governments, activists, civil society, international organisations, journalists and corporations

Day 2 – Anti-corruption technologies: benefits and pitfalls

WEEK 9

Day 1 - Innovating anti-corruption efforts: the use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Day 2 – Mapping players, arenas and their interactions

WEEK 10

Day 1 – Who are the anti-corruption “champions”?

Day 2 – Wrap up of the Course

 

The course comprises 40 hours of interactive lectures. A more detailed syllabus outlining the topics, readings and other materials covered each week is available on the Virtuale platform.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students are required to read and study all the compulsory readings listed and made available in due time on the Virtuale platform.

Non-attending students are required to read and study all the compulsory readings listed in the Course Contents section and the following books:

- Fisman, Raymond, and Miriam A. Golden. (2017). Corruption: What everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press.

- Holmes, Leslie. (2015). Corruption: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

All students are encouraged to consult and study the extra readings.

Teaching methods

The course integrates lectures, in-depth case study analyses with presentations and discussions, and interactive sessions with students.

Assessment methods

Students will be evaluated through two main tools:

· A final paper of 3,500-4,000 words (excluding references) about one of the topics covered during the course, to be agreed in advance with the instructor (50%)

· An oral exam that will cover the contents of compulsory readings and the student’s final papers (50%)

Attending students will have to attend at least 16 classes out of 20. Those students who will attend 15 or fewer classes will be considered non-attending students.

Please note that precise instructions on the final paper and the oral exam will be presented by the instructor during the first day of class and will be uploaded in the Virtual Platform in due time.

Non-attending students will be evaluated through two main tools:

· A final paper of 7,000-8,000 words (excluding references) about one of the topics covered during the course, to be agreed in advance with the instructor (50%)

· An oral exam that will cover the contents of compulsory readings and the students' final papers (50%)

Please note that readings for non-attending students are all the compulsory readings listed and made availbale on the Virtuale platform and the following books:

- Fisman, Raymond, and Miriam A. Golden. (2017). Corruption: What everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press.

- Holmes, Leslie. (2015). Corruption: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

All students are encouraged to consult and study the extra readings.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, multimedia materials, and practical exercises will support teaching and learning activities.

Office hours

See the website of Fernanda Odilla Vasconcellos De Figueiredo