KickBack - The Global Anticorruption Podcast

This episode features Oz Dincer and Michael Johnston, who join regular Kickback host Robert Barrington to discuss their new book 'Corruption in America', which explores corruption in various policy areas across all fifty states. Dincer O, Johnston M. Corruption in America: A Fifty-Ring Circus. Cambridge University Press; 2025.

Is Anti-Corruption work an inclusive movement deeply connected to its grassroots origins, or a self-serving, hierarchical entity that partially manufactures the problems for which it offers solutions? To critically examine this dichotomy, and the UK's anticorruption ecosystem more broadly, Kickback host Robert Barrington is joined by Rebecca Dobson-Phillips, assistant Professor in Politics at the Centre for the Study of Corruption, Alex Jacobs, director of the Joffe Trust, and Helen Taylor, a senior legal researcher at spotlight on corruption. Anti-Corruption in a Discordant World: Contestation, Abuse and Innovation is edited by David Jackson, Inge Amunsen and Aled Williams (Chr. Michelsen Institute) and will be published by Routledge later this year. The book gathers empirical evidence on the many paths anti-corruption has taken in a discordant world and ponders how this context has distorted, deformed and enriched anti-corruption practice. It will include a chapter by Rebecca Dobson Phillips on "Corruption and Anti-corruption in Post-Brexit Britain".

This episode features Nishan de Mel, the Executive Director of Verite Research, to discuss their development of Sri Lanka's innovative governance-linked bond, which seeks to break the country's vicious cycle of poor governance and financial instability. Learn more about: Verite Research - https://www.veriteresearch.org The Civil Society Governance Diagnostic Report, mentioned by Nishan - https://www.tisrilanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GDA_REPORT_2023.pdf And the IMF's Governance Diagnostic Assessment - https://www.treasury.gov.lk/news/article/221 For more on issues of corruption in Sri Lanka, check out Kickback episode 106, with Sankhitha Gunaratne.

This episode of Kickback features Dr. Mario Hidalgo, from the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Laboratory at UTE university in Ecuador, to shed light on Ecuador's transition from the "Island of Peace" to a country facing widespread organised crime and violence, highlighting the significantly enabling role of corruption. The conversation also touches upon Ecuador's institutional unpreparedness, political polarisation, and the weaponization of corruption during the recent presidential elections. Learn more about Mario's important work here: https://ute.edu.ec/laboratorio-de-transparencia-y-anticorrupcion/

For this episode, regular host Liz David-Barrett is joined by Dr Daniel Paget, an assistant professor in politics at the University of Sussex, to unpack the nuances of electoral authoritarianism in Tanzania, the aspirations of a key opposition movement, and the power of alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding the fight against domination and for democracy. Find Daniel's paper 'The Anti-Authoritarian Populisms: Ideologies of Democratic Struggle in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Worldwide' (2024) here: https://www.danpaget.com/recent-publication and ‘A people power philosophy: republican ideology in opposition in Tanzania.' (2023) here: https://www-tandfonline-com.sussex.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1080/13510347.2022.2150759 DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded several days before the arrest of Tundu Lissu.

For this episode Dr Marianne Camerer, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town's Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, and Devi Pillay, a research fellow with the GI-ACE programme, join regular KB host Liz David-Barrett to discuss the experience of state capture in South Africa, under the presidency of Jacob Zuma. Check out the following resources to learn more about the issues discussed in this episode: The Open Secrets website which houses the Civil Society Working Group Against State Capture https://www.opensecrets.org.za/civil-society-working-group-on-state-capture/ The State Capture Commission website https://www.statecapture.org.za/ The Public Protector's 2016 report https://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/state-capture-report-public-protector-14-october-2016 A short summary written by Devi of the Commission and its findings https://pari.org.za/summary-the-state-capture-commission And the book "State Capture in South Africa: How and why it happened", edited by Mbongiseni Buthelezi and Peter Vale https://pari.org.za/new-book-state-capture-in-south-africa-how-and-why-it-happened/

This episode features a discussion between regular KB host Liz David-Barrett, and Kevin E. Davis, the Beller Family Professor of Business Law at NYU School of Law. Their conversation centres on the international regulation of bribery and corruption, specifically focusing on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), following President Trump's recent suspension of its enforcement. The episode explores the potential implications for U.S. companies, foreign entities, and international anti-corruption efforts. Read Kevin's recent blog post on this issue here: https://wp.nyu.edu/compliance_enforcement/2025/02/21/implications-of-pausing-fcpa-enforcement/ And his paper on international regulation here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4506000

For this episode of KickBack, we are joined by Gary Kalman, who is the Executive Director of Transparency International United States and Blair Glencorse, the Founder and co-CEO of Accountability Lab. They join Liz Dávid-Barrett to dissect the Trump administration's drastic cuts to US aid and its implications for anti-corruption efforts worldwide. https://us.transparency.org/ https://accountabilitylab.org/ Learn more about Accountability Lab and Development Gateway's Strategic Partnerships system here: https://accountlab.typeform.com/merge?typeform-source=www.linkedin.com

This episode dives into the shadowy world of illicit financial networks with Dr Dan Haberly, whose research with the GI ACE program addresses significant knowledge gaps around the opaque structures of the global economy. Dan introduces the Regulation of Illicit Financial Flows (RIFF) dataset, which aims to track regulatory progress in financial transparency. The discussion examines the geographical reorganisation and persistence of illicit networks and the role of various jurisdictions in facilitating illicit finance. Learn more about Dan and GI ACE's ground-breaking research here: https://giace.org/resources/from-secrecy-to-scrutiny-a-new-map-of-illicit-global-financial-networks-and-regulation/ https://giace.org/resources/the-regulation-of-illicit-financial-flows-riff-dataset/

For this episode we are joined by John Heathershaw, Tena Prelec and Tom Mayne to discuss their new book Indulging Kleptocracy: British Service Providers, Postcommunist Elites, and the Enabling of Corruption. This conversation focuses on professional enablers that provide services to help kleptocrats to launder their reputations, move their money, and gain access to political influence. John Tena and Tom argue that professional enabling is a systemic problem that is facilitated by the concentration of financial and legal expertise in the private sector, and the willingness of professionals to turn a blind eye to the origins of their clients' wealth. They discuss the challenges of regulating professional enabling and offer advice for researchers working in this area. The episode discusses the new book Indulging Kleptocracy, which partly draws on research funded by the GI ACE programme. GI ACE generates actionable evidence that policymakers, practitioners and advocates can use to design and implement more effective anti-corruption initiatives. This project was funded by UK Aid from the UK government. The views expressed in the book do not necessarily reflect the UK Government's official policies. Find John Tena and Tom's new book here: https://academic.oup.com/book/58173 Similar themes relating to kleptocracy can be found in Kickback episode 66, with Casey Michel, and episode 111 with Tom Burgis.

Leading anticorruption expert and former Transparency International Chair, Dr. Delia Ferreira Rubio joins host Liz David Barrett to discuss the evolution of the global anti-corruption movement. Drawing on 40+ years of experience, Delia explores how civil society's role has evolved beyond advocacy to direct action, examines the increasing sophistication of corruption in the digital age, and highlights the importance of cross-sector collaboration in fighting corruption.

This week Liz David-Barrett is joined by expert researchers Monika Bauhr and Marcia Grimes from the Quality of Government Institute, where they conduct and promote research on the causes, consequences and nature of Good Governance. This episode addresses the multifaceted nature of corruption and the challenges of promoting accountability in democratic systems. Monika and Marcia cover a range of topics, including the implications of transparency as an accountability mechanism, the role of elites in maintaining the status quo, and the relationship between women's representation and corruption reduction. The discussion acknowledges the challenges in measuring corruption, while highlighting innovative methodological approaches that challenge simplistic assumptions, to better understand the dynamics between democracy and corruption. Learn more about the Quality of Government Institute here: https://www.gu.se/en/quality-government And find some of Monika and Marcia's related publications here: Bauhr, M., & Grimes, M. (2014). Indignation or Resignation: The Implications of Transparency for Societal Accountability. Governance, 27(2), 291–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12033 Bauhr, Monika and Marcia Grimes. 2021. “Democracy and Quality of Government” in Bauhr, Monika, Andreas Bågenholm, Marcia Grimes and Bo Rothstein (eds). The Oxford Handbook of Quality of Government. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/33431 Bauhr, M., & Charron, N. (2018). Insider or Outsider? Grand Corruption and Electoral Accountability. Comparative Political Studies, 51(4), 415–446. https://doi.org/10.1177/001041401771025 Bauhr, M., Charron, N., & Wängnerud, L. (2024a). What candidate will fight corruption? Gender and anti-corruption stereotypes across European countries. European Political Science Review, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755773924000134 Bauhr, M., Charron, N., & Wängnerud, L. (2024b). Will Women's Representation Reduce Bribery? Trends in Corruption and Public Service Delivery Across European Regions. Political Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-024-09925-x % year impact factor Cornell, A., & Grimes, M. (2023). Brokering Bureaucrats: How Bureaucrats and Civil Society Facilitate Clientelism Where Parties are Weak. Comparative Political Studies, 56(6), 788-823. https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140221115171 Larsson, F., & Grimes, M. (2023). Societal Accountability and Grand Corruption: How Institutions Shape Citizens' Efforts to Shape Institutions. Political Studies, 71(4), 1321-1346. https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217211067134

This week, Dr. Florencia Guerzovich, Independent Researcher and Evaluator, and Tom Shipley, Research Fellow for the Governance & Integrity, Anti-Corruption Evidence programme at the CSC, explore whether the corruption field has a learning problem. Against the backdrop of debates around 'success' and 'failure' in anti-corruption, they talk to Professor Robert Barrington about approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). The discussion covers the basics of what MEL is and the role it has to play in building knowledge on anti-corruption effectiveness; the current state of practice for MEL; what can be learnt from other sectors; and what changes might be needed to shift towards more adaptable, learning-focused approaches. Find Tom's paper on this topic for U4 here: https://www.u4.no/publications/evaluating-anti-corruption-interventions-the-state-of-practice And the paper discussed by Florencia on social accountability here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4606929

How can the renewable energy sector learn from the corruption risks that have plagued the extractive industries for decades to ensure a just energy transition? Mark Robinson, Executive Director of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and Maja de Vibe, the Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Statkraft discuss their new working paper ‘Good governance and the just transition: Implications for renewable energy companies', published by the Basel Institute. Mark and Maja discuss the critical corruption and governance risks facing the renewables sector; the commonalities and differences in risk between this sector and extractives corruption; and what role collective action and multi-stakeholder engagement could play in the governance of the sector in the future. You can find their paper here: https://baselgovernance.org/publications/wp-53

Dan Hough, Prof. of Politics at the University of Sussex, and founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption, discusses his new book Foul Play: Tackling Football's Integrity Problem. Dan builds on analytical frameworks from the corruption and governance fields to analyse the integrity challenges facing the beautiful game, on and off the pitch. Dan examines football as an important social institution and makes connections to broader debates about how to encourage integrity. You can find Dan's new book here: https://agendapub.com/page/detail/foul-play/?k=9781788217637

Professor David Jancsics (San Diego State University) discusses his research on the sociology of corruption. Drawing on sociological and other theoretical insights, he proposes a new typology of corruption with two cross-cutting dimensions (the type of resource transfer and the client) and four types: market corruption, social bribe, corrupt organisation and state capture. The discussion also covers state capture in Hungary as well as David's research on corruption at borders. Here is a link to David's new book - https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501774324/sociology-of-corruption/#bookTabs=1

Many anti-corruption initiatives disseminate messages about corruption and its harms but how can these messages be framed to ensure they are effective? To explore this and related questions Caryn Peiffer (Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Bristol) and Nic Cheeseman (Professor of Democracy and International Development at the University of Birmingham) join us on the podcast to discuss their research. They share research findings which challenge some of the assumptions widely held about the benefits of anti-corruption messaging campaigns. The episode is also full of practical guidance for practitioners, with Caryn and Nic encouraging all involved in these campaigns to think carefully about how they tailor and target their messages. The main paper discussed by Caryn and Nic can be found here: https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/3b71Cl7MzHYWMNJuGfoCzYaB6?domain=cipe.org/

The U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) is a groundbreaking piece of anti-corruption legislation which makes it a crime for any foreign official to demand or accept a bribe from an American or American company, or from any person while in the territory of the United States. Our two guests, Tom Firestone, Partner at Squire, Patton and Boggs, and Scott Greytak, Director of Advocacy at Transparency International US, played a critical role in getting the act into law. In the episode, they speak to Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about the scope of the act and how it relates to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The three also debate some of the likely challenges around enforcing FEPA as well as the effect the law may have on enforcement efforts by other countries. For more background on the act, here is a helpful explainer written by Scott - https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/us-foreign-extortion-prevention-fight-against-global-corruption

This episode unpacks the problem of sexual corruption and how to design effective policy responses to it. Our two guests are Associate Professor of Public Policy, Anna Petherick, who is based at the Blavatnik School of Government, University Oxford, and is also the Director of the Lemann Foundation Programme at the school, and Dr. Ortrun Merkle, Research Fellow at United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute. Anna and Ortrun are specialists in this topic and also work on the broader theme of gender and corruption. They talk through how the literature has evolved over the last two decades and particularly debates on conceptualizing the problem of sexual corruption. Both also provide useful guidance on how to research these extremely sensitive issues and offer their thoughts on the policy responses available. Here are some links to writing on this topic by Anna, Ortrun and others if you are looking for further reading. The Chandler Papers: Sexual Corruption, (by Anna, Monika Bauhr and Bolaji Owasanoye) -https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/research/publications/chandler-papers-sexual-corruption Norms, gender and corruption: understanding the nexus (edited by Ortrun and Ina Kubbe) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Norms-Gender-Corruption-Understanding-Nexus/dp/1802205829 Bribe to survive: sextortion and LGBTQ discrimination (by Victoria Abut) - https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2022/06/13/bribe-to-survive-sextortion-and-lgbtq-discrimination/

Professor Lucio Picci (University of Bologna) speaks to Professor Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about his recent work on rethinking the current anti-corruption paradigm. Lucio argues for the field to pay more attention to potential 'side effects' from anti-corruption discourse, particularly when this agenda is hijacked by populists to support political goals. Lucio uses cases from Brazil, Russia and the United States to illustrate his points. The conversation also takes in Lucio's early work on measurement, including bribery by firms and corruption at subnational level. Here is a link to Lucio's new book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/rethinking-corruption/7556EA509B03B16334D5962113889FF6 And the article discussed on corruption in the management of public works authored with Miriam Golden: https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/1845422422.00026.xml

Emmanuel Mathias, Head of the Governance and Anti-Corruption Division at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaks to Prof. Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption). He discusses the main pillars of the IMF's 2018 Framework for Enhanced Engagement on Governance, providing insights on how the fund approaches its anti-corruption work. The framework can be found here: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2018/04/20/pp030918-review-of-1997-guidance-note-on-governance And the review discussed by Emmanuel can be found here: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2023/04/11/Review-of-Implementation-of-The-2018-Framework-for-Enhanced-Fund-Engagement-on-Governance-532166?cid=pr-com-PPEA2023015

In this latest chapter on state capture, Ketakandriana Rafitoson (Vice-Chair, Transparency International; Executive Director of Transparency International Initiative Madagascar) outlines how this problem manifests in Madagascar and the harms caused. She speaks to Tom Shipley (Researcher, Centre for the Study of Corruption) about how state capture has unfolded in key sectors, including in the exploitation of natural resources, and the role that international firms and states have played. Ketakandriana also describes the innovative approaches civil society have taken to fighting back against networks of corrupt actors. Further information on the case in the lychee sector mentioned by Ketakandriana can be found here, https://www.transparency.mg/telechargements/assainir-la-gouvernance-de-la-filiere-litchi-afin-den-exploiter-pleinement-le-potentiel/ The report on international enablers, 'loophole masters' can be found here, https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/loophole-masters

John Penrose MP, the former UK government Anti-Corruption Champion (2017 - 2022), joins us for this episode. He speaks to Professor Robert Barrington (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about the lessons learnt from his time in the role. This includes taking us behind the scenes to understand what the role of the government Anti-Corruption Champion entails. John also discusses the major developments and drivers behind UK anti-corruption policy during this period as well as some of the key moments, including his decision to stand down from the role during Boris Johnson's administration. John and Robert finally look to the future to consider what the UK's anti-corruption infrastructure could and should look like in the years to come.

The journalist Tom Burgis speaks to Prof. Liz Dávid-Barrett about his work investigating corruption across different continents. Tom talks about he got into journalism and what goes into researching these books. His books cover what Tom calls the rise of kleptocracy since the end of the Cold War. The latest - Cuckooland - grapples with some of the challenges for journalists in scrutinising public figures in a 'post-truth' society.

Richard Nephew, the US Department of State's Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption, speaks to Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about the US strategy on countering corruption. The episode explores some of the aims and practicalities involved in implementing different pillars of the strategy, including attempts to strengthen the multilateral anti-corruption architecture. Richard and Liz also talk about the key outcomes to emerge from the recent UN Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), hosted in the US. Below are links to some of the key documents discussed in the episode. US Strategy on Countering Corruption: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/United-States-Strategy-on-Countering-Corruption.pdf Strategy Implementation Plan: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/U.S.-Strategy-on-Countering-Corruption-Implementation-Plan-9.5.2023-FINAL.pdf Fact Sheet on the Strategy: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/06/fact-sheet-u-s-strategy-on-countering-corruption/

In this episode Gretta Fenner (Managing Director, Basel Institute on Governance) and Daniel Eriksson (CEO, Transparency International) talk to Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about the links between corruption and national security issues. The episode follows from the Munich Security Conference where Daniel and Gretta raised the issue of corruption as a key policy concern. The group discuss the new global context of heightened insecurity and the implications this has for those working to counter corruption. Liz also asks Daniel and Gretta about "strategic corruption", defined in the US Strategy on Countering Corruption as "when a government weaponizes corrupt practices as a tenet of its foreign policy". This is a term which has gained significant policy attention. It however raises questions as to whether using the term involves anti-corruption campaigners "picking sides" in this new context of global insecurity .

Alison Taylor, Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, speaks to Prof. Dan Hough (Centre for the Study of Corruption) on the topic of business ethics. Alison talks about her early career investigating corruption by businesses before she moved into the broader space of corporate responsibility and business ethics. Alison describes the impact of international anti-bribery laws on businesses but also raises some questions about the corporate compliance regimes these laws have created. Alison's new book, Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World, looks at these and other critical questions around ethics for businesses.

In this episode, Liz Dávid-Barrett, Becky Dobson-Phillips and Dan Hough (all Centre for the Study of Corruption) talk through some of the key considerations involved in defining corruption. They begin by discussing the strengths and limitations of the mainstream public office centred definition of corruption developed by Joseph S Nye (see below). Becky then introduces a new conceptual framework for defining corruption in context. This covers different dimensions to corruption, including notable contemporary manifestations. Aimed at students new to the study of corruption, this is the latest in Kickback's series providing introductions to important debates in the corruption field. Similar episodes on corruption theory (Episode 98) and corruption measurement (Episode 93) can be found in the tracklist. A link to the paper discussed can be found here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=csc-wp-series-dobson-et-al-defining-corruption-final.pdf&site=405 For reference, the Nye definition of corruption is as follows “Behaviour which deviates from the formal duties of a public role because of private regarding (personal, close family, private clique) pecuniary or status gains; or violates rules against the exercise of certain types of private-regarding influence.” (Nye 1967)

Continuing our chapter on kleptocracy and state capture, this episode features Sankhitha Gunaratne, Deputy Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka. She speaks to Liz David-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) about TI's work to combat state capture in the country. The recent economic crisis in Sri Lanka has laid bare the extent to which kleptocratic actors have captured key pillars of the state. Sankhitha describes the different tactics used, including the suppression of accountability institutions and militarisation of key government positions. She then outlines TI's response, which has included the use of strategic litigation and leveraging the influence of international financial institutions. There are lots of lessons here for understanding how state capture develops and how it is possible to fight back.

Daniel Freund is a Member of the European Parliament and former Head of Advocacy for European Union Integrity at Transparency International. In this episode he speaks to Prof. Dan Hough about the different dimensions to the EU's fight against corruption. The discussion starts with the struggle to protect EU institutions from undue influence, a problem illustrated by Qatargate, a lobbying scandal Daniel describes as the "tip of the iceberg". Daniel also discusses challenges in building institutional resilience to corruption within potential accession countries as well as EU member states themselves. This includes thinking through some of the key challenges, such as how should the EU be responding to autocratic regimes like Viktor Orbán's government in Hungary?

Dr. Andreas Bågenholm (University of Gothenburg) and Dr. Rekha Diwakar (University of Sussex) join Prof. Dan Hough to discuss anti-corruption political parties. These parties have proliferated in different parts of the world in the last two decades. Andreas and Rekha draw on their research in Europe and India respectively to talk about where these parties come from and what they stand for. The group then look at how these parties have actually performed when they have entered into government, assessing in particular the track record of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. We learn how these parties tend to evolve over time and can even become caught up in accusations of corruption involving their own members.

In this episode Professor Dan Hough (Centre for the Study of Corruption) speaks to Professor Robert Klitgaard (Claremont Graduate University). Robert is a well-known and influential academic in the corruption field. He talks us through the origins of his ideas in applying institutional economic theory to understanding corruption issues, as originally set out in Controlling Corruption (1988). Robert then discusses other research interests and influences, including the anthropological literature on corruption and challenges related to elitism in developing and developed countries. Robert and Dan lastly talk about Robert's recent research in Bhutan and the lessons it might hold for other countries pursuing anti-corruption reforms. Details on Robert's previous and upcoming publications are available here: https://www.cgu.edu/people/robert-klitgaard/

In episode 102 Robert Barrington (Centre for the Study of Corruption), Guy Beringer KC (Hon) (Chair of the Taskforce on Business Ethics and the Legal Profession), Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption) and Tena Prelec (University of Rijeka) discuss the topic of so-called 'professional enablers'. Distinguishing between legal and illegal functions, the group discuss the types of activities related to corruption that the term might (and might not) encompass. They provide plenty of case examples from around the globe involving different types of professionals, such as accountants, consultants and lawyers. There is then a particular focus on the legal profession and the pathways available for raising professional standards. This includes a discussion some of the legal ethics issues raised by this topic.

Leading academics from the Centre for the Study of Corruption sit down to discuss what we learnt from Episode 100. The anniversary episode featured insights on the state of anti-corruption practice from some of the leading global thinkers in the field. Here, Robert Barrington, Liz Dávid-Barrett, Dan Hough and Sam Power debate some of the key questions raised, including: To what extent we should be optimistic about the future for anti-corruption work? What is the proper place for corruption theory in understanding key developments in the field? And what are the roles that different groups of actors can play in the next phase of anti-corruption initiatives?

For this special anniversary episode, Kickback invited leading thinkers from around the globe to comment on the state of practice in the corruption field. We asked each individual to respond to one of two questions: a) ​'what is one thing about corruption that you've changed your thinking on in the past 10 years?' b) 'what is the most significant development - positive or negative - in relation to corruption and corruption studies over the past thirty years?' We got some fascinating responses. Take the time to listen to them all in or jump to an individual's comments from the links below. Here are our esteemed contributors: Michael Johnston (2.34) - https://on.soundcloud.com/EM7ED Leena Koni Hoffmann (7.52) - https://on.soundcloud.com/HbLSy Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (10.24) - https://on.soundcloud.com/RXYf2 Paul Heywood (12.51) - https://on.soundcloud.com/dA5Hg Florencia Guerzovich (15.40) - https://on.soundcloud.com/6sbPW Joseph Pozsgai-Alvarez (18.16) - https://on.soundcloud.com/Q54rJ Jorge Alatorre (21.36) - https://on.soundcloud.com/yk8qf Delia Ferreira Rubio (23.33) - https://on.soundcloud.com/ojHVn Matthew Stephenson (26.55) - https://on.soundcloud.com/AwQ1Z Susan Rose-Ackerman (29.43) - https://on.soundcloud.com/9H4m3 John Githongo (32.15) - https://on.soundcloud.com/fzfjn Jon Quah (33.34) - https://on.soundcloud.com/mdSgr Laode Muhammad Syarif (36.12) - https://on.soundcloud.com/gu2mC To see categories of past episodes, go to our playlists page - https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/sets

Huma Yusuf speaks to Tom Shipley about the links between business integrity and environmental, social and governance (ESG). Huma is Director of Business Integrity at British International Investment, an impact investor, and a key public commentator on climate change in Pakistan. In this podcast, Huma describes how anti-corruption and business integrity fit into the global business agenda on ESG, breaking down some of the key concepts and debates in this area. She also talks about working with businesses in emerging markets on these topics and some of the key challenges that arise. Links to reports cited in the podcast are here: Transparency International (2022) "Investing with integrity",https://www.transparency.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/Investing%20with%20Integrity%20-%20Transparency%20International%20UK.pdf World Economic Forum (2022) "Investing in integrity in an increasingly complex world: the role of anti-corruption amid the ESG revolution", https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Investing_in_Integrity_GFC_2022.pdf

This is the second episode of the 'Introduction to' series in which experts provide an overview of some of the key issues in the corruption field. In this episode Liz Dávid-Barrett, Dan Hough and Sam Power (all Centre for the Study of Corruption) discuss the leading theories for corruption analysis, including rational choice, collective action and social norms approaches. This is a valuable overview for researchers new to these topics. Further links to Kickback episodes with some of the leading theorists referenced are provided below. Susan Rose-Ackerman on the principal-agent theory of corruption, https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/1-episode-susan-rose-ackerman Bo Rothstein on corruption as a collective action problem: https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/5-episode-bo-rothstein Diana Chigas and Cheyanne Scharbatke-Church on social norms: https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/49-diana-chigas-and-cheyanne-scharbatke-church-on-social-norms-approaches-to-anti-corruption https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/49-diana-chigas-and-cheyanne-scharbatke-church-on-social-norms-approaches-to-anti-corruption And for the first 'introduction to' episode on corruption measurement, see: https://soundcloud.com/kickback-gap/93-introduction-to-corruption-measurement-debates

Michela Wrong, journalist and author of It's Our Turn to Eat, speaks to Dr. Sam Power, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the Centre for the Study of Corruption. Named as the top book on corruption by The Guardian in 2023, It's Our Turn to Eat tells the story of John Githongo, the Kenyan activist and whistleblower interviewed in Episode 96. Michela talks to Sam about the issues raised in the book as well as her other writing including Do Not Disturb, her latest book on the abuse of power by the Kagame regime in Rwanda.

The Kenyan anti-corruption campaigner and activist, John Githongo, speaks to Liz Dávid-Barrett (Centre for the Study of Corruption). The episode covers key moments in John's career including his involvement in the formation of Transparency International and time spent as Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics in the Kenyan government in the early 2000s. John and Liz further discuss what lessons can be taken from Kenya's fight against corruption and the particularly the role of anti-corruption institutions.

Dr. Magnus Öhman, senior political finance adviser at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, speaks to the Kickback team. Magnus discusses the challenges of corruption and political trust against the wider global context of increased democratic backsliding. There is specific focus on approaches to tackling the problem of illicit finance in politics, including the potential of artificial intelligence for improving transparency.

Grant Walton, Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy (Australian National University, speaks to Dan Hough about his research on corruption in Papua New Guinea (PNG). A key focus for Grant has been to explore what people understand by corruption in PNG and how this compares to Western understandings of the term. The disconnection between the two has implications for how we approach messaging on countering corruption which risks being ineffective or even backfiring if it does not account for local understandings. Grant also outlines the formal state anti-corruption institutions in place in PNG, leading to discussion on the appropriate roles for external actors in supporting these institutions. Publications mentioned by Grant in the podcast can be found on his research profile, here: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/people/academic/grant-walton?tb=publication

Professor Dan Hough (University of Sussex), Professor Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett (University of Sussex/ International Anti-Corruption Academy) and Dr. Roxana Bratu (King's College London) provide an introduction to corruption measurement debates. They explore questions like: How has measurement of corruption changed over the three decades? What are the best tools currently available for measuring corruption? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these tools? What are 'proxy indicators' for measuring corruption? What do users actually want from corruption measurement tools?

Andrew Wedeman, Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University, speaks to Professor Dan Hough about the politics of anti-corruption campaigns in China. Andrew analyses the anti-corruption campaign instigated by President Xi Jinping and also puts this into historical perspective. Andrew and Dan discuss the effects this campaign has had on Chinese society at all levels and whether there really is any evidence of progress in controlling corruption in the country. Andrew additionally talks about some of the challenges in researching these issues and where research on this topic could go next in China.

Cheri-Leigh Erasmus, Global Director of Learning at the Accountability Lab, speaks to Dan Hough, Professor of Politics at the Centre for the Study of Corruption. She describes Accountability Lab's distinctive approach to building integrity in the civil service with examples from across the globe. She shares some lessons from this work and offers plenty of ideas for how to engage new audiences in anti-corruption work. You can see more on the work of Accountability Lab here, https://accountabilitylab.org/

Claudia Baez Camargo, Head of Public Governance at the Basel Institute, talks to Liz Dávid-Barrett about her work on applying social norms theory to analysing corruption issues. The episode takes in examples of applied research in East Africa and Ukraine, while Claudia's thinking on corruption is also influenced by her upbringing in Mexico. Claudia describes some successes in altering social norms around corruption in health settings but equally some of the challenges in sustaining these initiatives. In addition, Claudia talks about her work analysing informal networks of corrupt actors as well as how we might use insights from behavioural science to improve anti-corruption interventions.

This episode features Cecilia Müller Torbrand, CEO of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN). She speaks to Liz Dávid-Barrett about the work of MACN, a network of shipping businesses which has been making some real headway in reducing corruption risks in this sector. The MACN story offers lots of valuable lessons for researchers and practitioners. Cecilia talks about how MACN has succeeded in framing its messaging around trade and commerce to engage government and the private sector in anti-corruption work. She also describes the incredible data MACN has compiled on corruption incidents and risks in the sector, which it uses to push for change. Detailed examples from Argentina and Nigeria show how the model works in practice and provide evidenced examples of change.

Luís de Sousa, deputy director and research fellow at ICS-ULisboa, speaks to Robert Barrington, professor of anti-corruption practice at the Centre for the Study of Corruption, on a range of topics. Luís is well-known for his research on anti-corruption agencies and in the episode he discusses country cases and conditions for success. This is also the first Kickback episode to discuss Portugal in depth. Lessons from Portugal on the politicization of anti-corruption measures, the role of external actors in reform, and the importance of local government will be of real interest to researchers and practitioners working in comparable contexts.

In this episode recorded on the margins of the International Anti-Corruption Conference, Paul Massaro, senior policy advisor for the U.S. Helsinki Commission, speaks to Liz Dávid-Barrett. Paul discusses the drivers behind the Enablers Act and the role of the US in countering kleptocracy. The conversation also covers the effectiveness of international sanctions on corruption and the importance of counter-kleptocracy work to ending the war in Ukraine.

Kicking off 2023 we were delighted to have Dame Margaret Hodge join us to talk about integrity issues in the UK. She speaks to Dr. Sam Power, Senior Lecturer at the Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption, to talk about her fascinating route into politics and how this naturally led her to focus on integrity. The episode covers corruption issues in the UK including the UK's role in wider international patterns of corruption. Margaret and Sam discuss some practical responses to these issues which will be of real interest to reformers in the UK and other countries facing similar challenges.

This episode from the margins of the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Washington DC features Shannon Green, Executive Director of USAID's Anti-Corruption Task Force. Shannon talks to Liz Dávid-Barrett about the agency's new anti-corruption strategy. They also focus on the challenge of fighting kleptocracies and USAID's new dekleptification guide. Here are links to the resources discussed USAID anti-corruption strategy: https://www.usaid.gov/anti-corruption/policy USAID dekleptification guide: https://www.usaid.gov/anti-corruption/dekleptification

We are delighted to announce that the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC) at the University of Sussex is the new home of Kickback. The centre will be hosting the podcast over the next three years. We look forward to continuing the great work of the original Kickback team and welcoming an interesting range of guests from across the anti-corruption community. Robert Barrington talks more about the handover in a blog for the CSC (link below). In this episode, Matthew Stephenson talks to Liz Dávid-Barrett about what we have learnt from Kickback so far. He also offers his thoughts on the major themes and challenges the anti-corruption field should be tackling. These include 'the political economy of anti-corruption reform' as well as the proper place for theory in anti-corruption work. We additionally take this opportunity to ask Matthew about his latest research. He talks about a recent paper on the US experience of anti-corruption which provides some evidence to support an incremental theory of anti-corruption reform in contrast to 'big bang' explanations. There will be new episodes coming from the CSC in the new year so stay posted! Blog on the handover from Robert Barrington - https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-the-study-of-corruption/2022/12/06/kickback-the-global-anti-corruption-podcast-now-hosted-by-the-csc/ Here are links to papers discussed by Matthew - Taming systemic corruption: The American experience and its implications for contemporary debates - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X21003703 - co-authored with Mariano-Florentino Cuèllar Corruption as a self-reinforcing trap - https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36810