Empowering Agents of Change Phil Nichols International markers and unsung heroes The last twenty-five years have been nothing short of extraordinary for anyone interested in the study or control of corruption. We tend to mark the twists and turns of this epoch using large institutions and organizations as markers. James Wolfensohn’s 1996 ‘cancer of corruption’…

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Every Penny Counts: Exploring Initial Strategies for Successful Open Contracting Initiatives in Challenging Environments Tom Wright, with Eliza Hovey and Sarah Steingruber Open contracting is the practice of publishing and using accessible information throughout the procurement cycle to ensure that public money is spent honestly, fairly, and effectively. The Open Contracting approach aims to boost…

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Can Customary Authority Reduce Risks of Corruption and Local Capture?   David Jackson and Jennifer Murtazashvili Governments and development agencies are increasingly working with communities to supply public goods and services, but recent evidence suggests that this community-driven development (CDD) is beset by corrupt practices, such as embezzlement and nepotism, and subject to manipulation of…

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Nuevo Leon’s Anticorruption System: Taking Stock of an Ongoing Experiment in Fighting Corruption at the Local Level Bonnie J. Palifka, Luis A. García and Beatríz Camacho Mexico’s corruption problem seems intractable. Multiple public and private efforts have failed to reduce the pervasive role of corruption in virtually all areas of life. Indeed, despite these efforts,…

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Look beyond the nation-state: Local-level success stories may reflect different power dynamics Tom Shipley The corruption field has long had a preoccupation with country-level study, with national ‘Corruption Perception Indicators’ setting the tone since the 1990s. This focus is gradually being challenged. Paul Heywood, for example, has highlighted how disparities in corruption at the sub-national…

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“Bottom Up” Corruption Prevention Jennifer Widner and Tristan Dreisbach The challenge of where to target ‘bottom up’ approaches Reducing opportunities for public servants to go astray is one important element of corruption control. Streamlining procedures to limit temptation, creating a few robust checks at critical points, and setting out clear standards are all important elements…

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Charting a New Path of Anti-Corruption in Africa: Bringing the Private Sector in from the Cold Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong In Africa, corruption has become a way of life. It is pervasive in the private and public sectors alike, and permeates almost every aspect of society. However, corruption in the public sector underscores most of Africa’s…

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