Religion and attitudes towards corruption in India and Nigeria

Summarising some of the main findings emerging from the research.

Corruption and Religion, Modernity and Tradition: Discourse in India in a Globalised World

Co-presented with Professor Vinod Pavarala and Dr Kanchan Malik, University of Hyderabad, India

Using qualitative fieldwork conducted in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh in 2008-2009, the paper explores how respondents view the relationship between modernity and tradition, religion and corruption, concluding that few see a binary relationship existing. Our argument in the paper is that tradition and modernity do not exist in a linear progression as Weber and subsequent modernists argued; people can be modern and traditional at the same time. The relationship between tradition and modernity, between religion and corruption, cannot be seen in terms of binary relationships, particularly in a globalised world. In the Indian context, certainly, the relationships here – between modernity, tradition, religion and corruption – seem to be fluid, complex and diverse. However, respondents clearly believe that corruption is impacted by a drive towards consumerism – but that this should not be seen as equivalent to ‘modern’. Consumerism, according to our respondents, is instead linked not to ‘modernity’ but to globalisation and liberalisation. As the latter is often prescribed by the international community as a key part of anti-corruption strategies, particularly in terms of breaking down kinship/patronage networks and behaviour, it can be suggested from our research findings that part of the ‘solution’ for corruption could also be part of the ‘problem’.

Corruption and Political Economy Assessments

The link is from an interview I did on capacity4dev.