NCJ Number
230875
Journal
Global Crime Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 261-278
Date Published
May 2010
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article describes the concept of 'industry', often used pejoratively in critiques of international development, and applies it to the field of anti-corruption.
Abstract
The characteristics of the anti-corruption industry, including anti-corruptionist discourse, resemble that which has taken place in development aid, human rights, civil society and gender equality. The anti-corruption industry thus includes key global actors, secondary actors who look for 'signals' and an apparatus of understandings, knowledge, statistics and measures, all of which tend to prioritize anti-corruption institutions over anti-corruption activism. It is argued that the questionable impact of anti-corruption programmes enables the anti-corruption industry to coexist along with the corruption it ostensibly is combating. Instead of viewing anti-corruption as hegemonic, we need to critically examine the consequences of the global institutionalization of anti-corruptionist discourse and anti-corruption practice. (Published Abstract)