Critical Reflections on (Anti-)Corruption: Assessing Emerging Concepts, Metrics, and Theories

This panel invites theoretical and empirical contributions from diverse methodological perspectives that promote a critical appraisal of the evolving landscape of corruption and anti-corruption. Participants are invited to analyze emerging concepts, metrics, and theories of corruption and anti-corruption from around the globe. The focus is on critically examining norms and practices and their consequences for democracy, as well as solutions to face the problem. Contributions are encouraged to examine how corruption and/or anti-corruption are conceptualized, measured, and experienced. The panel also encourages insights into the imaginaries and perceptions of corruption and anti-corruption that challenge and enrich existing narratives and theories. By doing this, the panel seeks to respond to recent calls to broaden the discussion and conceptual horizons of corruption studies by including more non-Western voices and experiences from the Global South. It also seeks to critically evaluate the predominantly Northern perspectives on anti-corruption approaches. Proposals may include papers that present findings based on robust empirical research or new analytical frameworks, including papers that present work in progress. Interested participants should submit an abstract of no more than 350 words. Abstracts should include the research question/objectives, research design and methods, and preliminary/expected findings (for empirical papers), and the theoretical framework and contribution to the literature (for both theoretical and empirical papers).