The Oxford Handbook of the Quality of Government

The Oxford Handbook of the Quality of Government
Author: Andreas Bågenholm
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 881
Release: 2021-07-20
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0191899003

Recent research demonstrates that the quality of public institutions is crucial for a number of important environmental, social, economic, and political outcomes, and thereby human well-being. The Quality of Government (QoG) approach directs attention to issues such as impartiality in the exercise of public power, professionalism in public service delivery, effective measures against corruption, and meritocracy instead of patronage and nepotism. This Handbook offers a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview of this rapidly expanding research field and also identifies viable avenues for future research. The initial chapters focus on theoretical approaches and debates, and the central question of how QoG can be measured. A second set of chapters examines the wealth of empirical research on how QoG relates to democratization, social trust and cohesion, ethnic diversity, happiness and human wellbeing, democratic accountability, economic growth and inequality, political legitimacy, environmental sustainability, gender equality, and the outbreak of civil conflicts. The remaining chapters turn to the perennial issue of which contextual factors and policy approaches—national, local, and international—have proven successful (and not so successful) for increasing QoG. The Quality of Government approach both challenges and complements important strands of inquiry in the social sciences. For research about democratization, QoG adds the importance of taking state capacity into account. For economics, the QoG approach shows that in order to produce economic prosperity, markets need to be embedded in institutions with a certain set of qualities. For development studies, QoG emphasizes that issues relating to corruption are integral to understanding development writ large.

Curtailing Corruption

Curtailing Corruption
Author: Shaazka M. Beyerle
Publisher: Lynne Rienner Pub
Total Pages: 325
Release: 2014
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9781626370524

"Explores how millions of people around the world have refused to be victims of corruption and become instead the protagonists of successful nonviolent civic movements to gain accountability and promote positive political, social, and economic change."--Publishers website

Citizens Against Corruption

Citizens Against Corruption
Author: Pierre Landell-Mills
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2013
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1783060867

Citizens Against Corruption: Report From The Front Line tells the story of how groups of courageous and dedicated citizens across the globe are taking direct action to root out corruption. It shows how people are no longer prepared to accept the predatory activities of dishonest officials and are challenging their scams. It draws on over 200 unique case studies that describe initiatives undertaken by 130 civil society organisations (CSOs) which engage directly with public agencies to stop the bribery and extortion that damages peoples’ lives and obstructs social and economic progress. This book challenges the notion that, at best, civil society can only have a marginal impact on reducing corruption and argues that aid donors need to radically rethink their assistance for governance reform.Part 1 analyses the role citizens can play in fighting corruption and promoting good governance and briefly tells the story of the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF). Part 2 presents studies of India, Mongolia, Philippines, and Uganda – each with its unique history and distinctive circumstances – to illustrate activities undertaken by CSOs to root out corruption, including the tools and approaches that are being used to build pressure on corrupt public agencies to become transparent and accountable. Part 3 addresses key themes – strengthening the rule of law, putting in place effective national anti-corruption strategies and institutions, making public buying and selling honest, promoting grassroots monitoring of public expenditures and the provision of public services, mounting media campaigns to expose and defeat corruption, and empowering ordinary citizens to keep watch on what actually happens at the point of delivery of public services. Part 4 is a summary of lessons learnt and explores the potential, as well as the risks and limitations, of civic activism in a world where greed and dishonesty is the norm. Finally, the book explores the opportunities and dangers faced by aid donors in supporting local CSOs and charts a way forward. Citizens Against Corruption: Report From The Front Line will be of interest to staff working in CSOs and aid agencies, policy analysts and researchers concerned about corruption and poor governance.

Gender and Corruption

Gender and Corruption
Author: Helena Stensöta
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 307
Release: 2018-03-27
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3319709291

The link between gender and corruption has been studied since the late 1990s. Debates have been heated and scholars accused of bringing forward stereotypical beliefs about women as the “fair” sex. Policy proposals for bringing more women to office have been criticized for promoting unrealistic quick-fix solutions to deeply rooted problems. This edited volume advances the knowledge surrounding the link between gender and corruption by including studies where the historical roots of corruption are linked to gender and by contextualizing the exploration of relationships, for example by distinguishing between democracies versus authoritarian states and between the electoral arena versus the administrative branch of government—the bureaucracy. Taken together, the chapters display nuances and fine-grained understandings. The book highlights that gender equality processes, rather than the exclusionary categories of “women” and “men”, should be at the forefront of analysis, and that developments strengthening the position of women vis-à-vis men affect the quality of government.

Controlling Corruption

Controlling Corruption
Author: Bo Rothstein
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 205
Release: 2021-03-18
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0192894900

This book presents a radically new approach of how societies can bring corruption under control. Since the late 1990s, the detrimental effects of corruption to human well-being have become well established in research. This has resulted in a stark increase in anti-corruption programs launched by international organizations such as the World Bank, the African Union, the EU, as well as many national development organizations. Despite these efforts, evaluations of the effects of these anti-corruption programs have been disappointing. As it can be measured, it is difficult to find substantial effects from such anti-corruption programs. The argument in this book is that this huge policy failure can be explained by three factors. Firstly, it argues that the corruption problem has been poorly conceptualized since what should count as the opposite of corruption has been left out. Secondly, the problem has been located in the wrong social spaces. It is neither a cultural nor a legal problem. Instead, it is for the most part located in what organization theory defines as the 'standard operating procedures' in social organizations. Thirdly, the general theory that has dominated anti-corruption efforts -- the principal-agent theory -- is based on serious misspecification of the basic nature of the problem. The book presents a reconceptualization of corruption and a new theory -- drawing on the tradition of the social contract - to explain it and motivate policies of how to get corruption under control. Several empirical cases serve to underpin this new theory ranging from the historical organization of religious practices to specific social policies, universal education, gender equality, and auditing. Combined, these amount to a strategic theory known as 'the indirect approach'.

Corrupt Cities

Corrupt Cities
Author:
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2000
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780821346006

Much of the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Turkey was the result of widespread corruption between the construction industry and government officials. Corruption is part of everyday public life and we tend to take it for granted. However, preventing corruption helps to raise city revenues, improve service delivery, stimulate public confidence and participation, and win elections. This book is designed to help citizens and public officials diagnose, investigate and prevent various kinds of corrupt and illicit behaviour. It focuses on systematic corruption rather than the free-lance activity of a few law-breakers, and emphasises practical preventive measures rather than purely punitive or moralistic campaigns.

Corruption and Human Rights in India

Corruption and Human Rights in India
Author: C. Raj Kumar
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2011-08-12
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0199088705

The malaise of corruption has become deeply embedded in the political and social fabric of the Indian society. The increased frequency and scale of corruption have had deleterious effects on a wide range of issues. Corruption, therefore, must be viewed not just as an issue of law and order or of the criminal justice system; instead it has larger and adverse implications for development initiatives, transparency in administration, economic growth, access to justice, and human rights. This important and timely work adopts a new approach for analysing corruption—corruption as a violation of human rights. Highlighting the inherent deficiencies in the existing institutions, mechanisms, laws, and law enforcement agencies, the book strongly proposes the adoption of a multi-pronged strategy for eliminating corruption. This includes the creation of a new legislative framework, an effective institutional mechanism, a new independent and empowered commission against corruption, and greater participation of the civil society. It also compares India's experiences of combating corruption with many societies in Asia including Singapore and Hong Kong.

Corruption in Public Administration

Corruption in Public Administration
Author: Davide Torsello
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 271
Release: 2016-08-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1785362593

Despite the growth in literature on political corruption, contributions from field research are still exiguous. This book provides a timely and much needed addition to current research, bridging the gap and providing an innovative approach to the study of corruption and integrity in public administration.

Empowering Civil Society in the Industrial Revolution 4.0

Empowering Civil Society in the Industrial Revolution 4.0
Author: Sukowiyono
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2021-10-25
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000468224

ICCEDI is an international seminar that is held every two years organized by the Law and Citizenship Department, Faculty of Social Science Universitas Negeri Malang. The activities aim to discuss the theoretical and practical citizenship education that becomes needed for democracy in Indonesia and other countries with a view to build academic networks by gathering academics from various research institutes and universities. Citizenship education is an urgent need for the nation in order to build a civilized democracy for several reasons. Citizenship education is important for those who are politically illiterate and do not know how to work the democracy of its institutions. Another problem is the increasing political apathy, indicated by the limited involvement of citizens in the political process. These conditions show how citizenship education becomes the means needed by a democratic country like Indonesia. The book addresses a number of important issues, such as law issues, philosophy of moral values, political government, socio-cultural and Pancasila, and civic education. Finally, it offers a conceptual framework for future democracy. This book will be of interest to students, scholars, and practitioners, governance, and other related stakeholders.

The Quest for Good Governance

The Quest for Good Governance
Author: Alina Mungiu-Pippidi
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2015-08-27
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 110711392X

A passionate examination of why international anti-corruption fails to deliver results and how we should understand and build good governance.