Fighting Corruption in Developing Countries: Strategies and Analysis

* Features a sectoral, rather than holistic, approach to examining the dynamics of corruption
* Contains lessons from national and international experience on best practices to contain corruption in these sectors
* Offers practical policy considerations to design effective anti-corruption strategies

Corruption is a worldwide phenomenon, but especially plagues developing countries and those in democratic transition. This timely collection presents a sector-by-sector analysis of the problems that stunt economic growth, distort governance, limit civic and democratic participation, and infuriate the populace.

In stark contrast to standard holistic studies of corruption, Fighting Corruption in Developing Countries argues that examining the issue through the lens of nine key development sectors--education, agriculture, energy, environment, health, justice, private business, political parties and public finance--will help us to understand the problem realistically and identify concrete initiatives that are likely to have an impact.

The book concludes with practical and policy-oriented suggestions for corruption control that minimize the risk of "recorrupting" forces that often threaten to reverse gains. Students, researchers, and practitioners interested in implementing effective and realistic solutions to fighting corruption will find this book essential reading.

Bertram I. Spector is Senior Technical Director at Management Systems International (MSI) and Executive Director of the Center for Negotiation Analysis. He has over 30 years of experience directing research, training and technical assistance programs, specializing in the anticorruption and international negotiation fields. For the past 16 years, he has focused his attention on designing, implementing and researching practical programs to fight corruption and strengthen good governance and integrity in developing countries. He has provided firsthand support and training directly to governmental decision makers, civil society organizations, businesses and the mass media in designing and implementing significant anticorruption initiatives in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Dr. Spector has also conducted extensive research and training on international negotiation processes and is the founding Editor-in-Chief of International Negotiation: A Journal of Theory and Practice, a peer-reviewed academic journal published in the Netherlands since 1996. Dr. Spector has authored Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption: Challenges for Post-Conflict Societies, (United States Institute of Peace Press 2011) and edited Fighting Corruption in Developing Countries: Strategies and Analysis, (Kumarian Press 2005) and Getting It Done: Post-Agreement Negotiations and International Regimes, (with I. William Zartman, United States Institute of Peace Press 2003). He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from New York University.