Talks and Presentations

Presentation of a paper by Allan Sikk and Philipp Köker at the ECPR Joint Sessions in Warsaw, 29 March - 2 April 2015

Project researchers from work package (WP) 11 and other anti-corruption specialists met in Warsaw from 29 March to 2 April 2015 at the ECPR Joint Sessions for a workshop entitled “The intricacies of accountability: horizontal, vertical and diagonal mechanisms to combat corruption”. The session, coordinated by Marcia Grimes, focused on the impact of accountability mechanisms. UCL SSEES was represented by ANTICORRP research associate Philipp Köker who presented a paper co-authored with Allan Sikk on the effects of corruption on candidate turnover in political parties.

Summary of the workshop

Link to paper

Keynote speech by Professor Alena Ledeneva at the 14th Annual Aleksanteri Conference, Helsinki, 22-24 October 2014

On 24 October 2014 Professor Alena Ledeneva gave a keynote speech entitled “Russia’s Practical Norms and Informal Governance: Modernisation v. Corruption” at the conference 14th Annual Conference of the Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies. This year the conference was held under the title “Restructuring State and Society in Russia”.

Conference presentation by Dr Allan Sikk and Dr Seán Hanley at the ECPR General Conference, Glasgow, 3-6 September 2014

We analyse a successful new group of parties that combine anti-corruption and anti-establishment with mainstream ideological orientation and moderate policies on political and social reforms. Major examples of such anti-establishment reform parties (AERPs) include Forza Italia and Five Star movement (Italy), Simeon II National Movement (Bulgaria), New Era (Latvia), List Pim Fortuyn (Netherlands), Res Publica (Estonia), the Dedecker List (Belgium), Freedom and Solidarity (Slovakia), Public Affairs (Czech Republic), Team Stronach (Austria) and Positive Slovenia. The paper studies the conditions for AERP electoral breakthroughs using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, focussing on elections in Central and Eastern Europe, where such parties have been particularly successful. We identify a small number of distinct paths for success, combining factors such as levels and change in perceived corruption, rising unemployment, economic growth and previous new party success. We conclude by discussing the potential for corruption as an issue to mobilize support for new political parties.

‘The Invisible and the Immeasurable: Towards Alternative Indicators of Corruption’, ANTICORRP workshop in Paris, 26-27 June 2014

UCL ANTICORRP leader Professor Alena Ledeneva and Nicolas Sauger (Sciences Po) convened a two-day colloquium to hash out the usefulness of old indicators of corruption and the promise of new ones. In addition to UCL ANTICORRP researchers Dr Allan Sikk and Dr Roxana Bratu, the workshop was attended by a number of academics from other project partners as well as civil society activists.

Colloquium discussants suggested shifting from aggregate, perception-based measures and instead focusing on three key elements: costs of corruption, informal networks and questionable practices and the unintended consequences of anti-corruption policies. Such shifts in the measurement of corruption suggest a move from ‘corruption’ to ‘integrity’ that facilitates policy actions focused on building fairer societies.

More information about the workshop..>