Researching corruption: understanding its key concepts

Abstract

Given the controversial nature of the notion of corruption that has transcended time and place, this paper serves as a review article for the essential and pivotal debatable concepts that are used to better understand corruption. It will look at different definitions and types of corruption, and the measurement techniques used in corruption studies. The paper presents the debate on whether corruption can or cannot be used as a developmental tool, and manages to show that its significant long-term negative consequences easily overcome its positive aspects. Finally, there is a discussion on causality, where I argue that given the multidisciplinary nature of corruption, it is difficult to infer causation. Simply, this paper helps in understanding the current debates in corruption literature, as this is the first step to properly fight corruption, which is one of the targets of SDG 16.