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67511-01 - Seminar: Corruption and Development – Causes, Consequences and Approaches to Fight it (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers |
Jacopo Costa (jacopo.costa@unibas.ch)
Saba Kassa (saba.kassa@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Corruption undermines global sustainable development. Scarce public resources are squandered, and citizens do not have access to good public services. Where politicians and bureaucrats seek personal gain, citizens lose trust in public institutions, and inequality increases. Corruption is a complex phenomenon, and we will work together to unravel it in this course. The course examines how corruption intersects with and amplifies major challenges to development and global progress while exploring approaches to understanding and combating corruption in different contexts. The course begins with core concepts about corruption and anti-corruption, including key definitions, theoretical frameworks, and measurement approaches. Building on this foundation, we explore how corruption manifests in and exacerbates critical issues facing our world today: How do different forms of corruption, from petty to grand, erode state capacity? What is the impact of corruption on society and vice versa how do societal norms shape corruption? How do corrupt networks affect illicit exchange, and what enables their transnational projection? How is corruption a driver and an effect of conflict and insecurity, and how does it connect with democratic backsliding? And what role does corruption play in undermining climate action and environmental protection? Throughout the course, we analyse both the corruption challenges and potential solutions, including technological innovations and behavioural interventions. Through case studies, discussions, and practical exercises, students develop a nuanced understanding of the complexity of corruption and the range of tools available to combat it in different contexts. |
| Learning objectives | By the end of the course, students should be able to: - Discuss competing conceptualisations of understanding and defining corruption; - Identify different types of corruption, and understand their drivers and implications; - Analyse how corruption manifests across different contexts; - Reflect critically on how to measure corruption; - Examine the relevance of (anti-)corruption in the development field; - Examine corruption's role in major contemporary challenges; - Have a differentiated understanding of the various anti-corruption approaches, their implementation and efficacy. |
| Bibliography | Includes Hough, D. (2017). The definitional challenge. In Analysing Corruption (pp. 33–48). Agenda Publishing. Marquette, H., & Peiffer, C. (2018). Grappling with the “real politics” of systemic corruption: theoretical debates versus ‘real world’ functions. Governance, 31(3), 499-514. Wathne, C. (2021). Understanding corruption and how to curb it. U4 Issue 2021(3). https://www.u4.no/publications/understanding-corruption-and-how-to-curb-it Costa, J. (2022). The nexus between corruption and money laundering: Deconstructing the Toledo-Odebrecht network in Peru. Trends in Organized Crime. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12117-021-09439-6 MacLachlan, D. K. (2019). Corruption as Statecraft: Using Corrupt Practices as Foreign Policy Tools. Transparency International. Available at: https://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DSP_CorruptionasStatecraft_251119.pdf Reading list and more detailed course outline in the first course session |
| Comments | Advanced BA 5th semesters onwards Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Admission requirements | Advanced BA 5th semesters onwards Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Course application | Advanced BA 5th semesters onwards |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 19.02.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 26.02.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Fasnachtsferien |
| Thursday 05.03.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 12.03.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 19.03.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 26.03.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 02.04.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Ostern |
| Thursday 09.04.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 16.04.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 23.04.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 30.04.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 07.05.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 14.05.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 21.05.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 28.05.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Regionaler Fokus B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Regionaler Fokus M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Module: Conflicts and Peacebuilding (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The module is assessed at 30% with active class participation. Every session will start with a review of the 3 preparatory questions, and the session will end with an interactive group exercise and discussion. Students are expected to actively engage with these questions, as well as with group exercises and overall class. 70% of the module grade is made up of a multiple-choice test taken in the second-to-last session. This test will cover the main themes and points discussed in the course. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Politikwissenschaft |