This insightful book proposes an innovative theoretical framework on how the notion of culture can be used to understand corruption as an inexplicable yet resilient phenomenon. Chapters examine the hermeneutical, cultural, and social aspects of corruption, the unravelling political–business corruption in contemporary Japan, and the relationship between organizational culture and corruption. Torsello advises on how to deal with corruption by asking questions that have often been ignored in mainstream literature and suggests that the investigation of corruption must focus on larger societal fields, rather than more limited individual–organizational ones, although ultimately the decision to indulge or not in such a criminal act is of the individual and reflects their own degree of self-awareness.

Illustrating multidimensional perspectives on mainstream theories of corruption, this book will be essential reading for students and scholars in cultural sociology, political studies, public administration and management, and public policy. It will also be beneficial for practitioners working in criminology, local and national governance, politics, and social policy.

Contents: 

Introduction: Theorizing corruption across disciplines 

1. Hermeneutical constructions of corruption in societies 

2. Corruption as cultural bias—grid-group theory 

3. The social nature of corruption 

4. Cultural approaches to institutional corruption 

5. The golden triangle: unraveling political–business corruption in Japan 

6. Organizational culture and corruption 

7. Conclusion Bibliography Index