Political Corruption (L2046)

30 credits, Level 6

Spring teaching

“Corruption is the single greatest obstacle to global economic and social development. It distorts the rule of law and weakens the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends” – the World Bank.

Though corruption is a central public concern today, it’s not a new one. For as long as humans have given authority to others, there’s always been the threat of power abuse.

On this module, you’ll explore the “dark side” of politics. You’ll analyse corruption in its various forms and contexts, developing tools to address:

how definitions of corruption differ across nations
are humans naturally corrupt? If so, does this matter?
if corruption is absolute and universal, or context-dependent
if corruption can ever be a good thing.

You’ll analyse specific examples of corruption in the developed world, from systematic abuses of power to minor misdemeanours. This will give you a foundation for exploring potential reforms to reduce corruption.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses: