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State Capture and Grand Corruption (868M9)

15 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

State capture is a type of systematic corruption whereby narrow interest groups take control of the institutions and processes that make public policy, excluding other parts of the public whose interests those institutions are supposed to serve. Capture is sometimes led by business groups, sometimes by a certain political party and its allies, and has manifested in different ways in different parts of the world and over time. It even has transnational aspects that threaten national security. State capture and grand corruption are likely to be more harmful than petty corruption, because they skew the balance of power in economy, politics and society. But it is very difficult to tackle these forms of corruption, because they involve some of the most powerful and high-ranking individuals in countries and organisations.

This module examines the mechanisms through which the state can be captured and compares patterns of capture across countries from all regions of the world. It also analyses ways of preventing capture, halting it in its tracks, and reversing it once it has happened.

The module begins by examining the definitions of state capture and grand corruption, and exploring how they relate to similar concepts of kleptocracy and democratic backsliding. Transnational forms of state capture and their implications are also introduced. The main mechanisms of capture are explained and the relationship with money laundering and international illicit financial flows is explored.

We then turn to the methodological challenges of identifying and investigating state capture and grand corruption. We look at ways in which academics have sought to measure state capture, as well as techniques used by law enforcement and investigative journalists to gather intelligence and evidence. We also consider the main policies used to prevent or build resilience against state capture. External guest speakers bring additional insights into the frontline of investigating and fighting state capture and grand corruption.

The module continues by examining a range of cases in detail, seeking to utilise the methods, techniques and conceptual rigour to systematically analyse and compare cases. These real-world cases are drawn from different parts of the world and are selected to highlight varying patterns or sequencing of state capture mechanisms. They provide insights into how capture occurs, what impact it has and how it can be halted and reversed.

You’ll end the module with an appreciation of the importance of state capture and grand corruption for understanding contemporary debates relating to geopolitics, democracy and economic development.

On this module you’ll:

• explore what distinguishes state capture and grand corruption from other forms of corruption, and how they relate to illicit financial flows
• study real-world cases which illustrate different patterns of capture, at the level of countries and organisations, and understand its impact on politics, economy and society
• learn about skills and techniques used by different stakeholders – including academics, law enforcement agencies, investigative journalists and policy-makers
• investigate state capture and grand corruption, to gather relevant data and evidence
• look at a range of different actors and policy responses aimed at preventing state capture, building resilience and reversing capture.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

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 2024/25. 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.