Corruption and reform (Strategic Institute Programme)

Widespread and systemic corruption is a major impediment to economic, political and social development in the Third World. Corruption affects poor people directly through the misallocation of public resources, including development aid, and it contributes in keeping poor countries poor. This research programme aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the nature and determinants of corruption, and to capture and account for variations between particular countries and institutions over time through comparative research. The research focus was on state institutions and public agencies; the institutional checks and balances, tax administration and fiscal corruption, anti-corruption committees and national and international anti-corruption strategies. As a strategic institute programme the aim was also to strengthen ongoing research at CMI on corruption as well as economic, administrative and political reforms, to extend CMI's competence basis in this field through information sharing, networking and recruiting of Ph.D.-students (three were recruited during this period: Henrik Lunden, Tone Sissener and Tina Søreide), and to better disseminate our research in academic journals, books and newspapers. In terms of geographic areas the programme focussed on Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.