Corruption, Grabbing and Development

Real World Challenges

Edited by Tina Søreide, Department of Accounting, Auditing and Law, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and Aled Williams, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Bergen, Norway

All societies develop their own norms about what is fair behaviour and what is not. Violations of these norms, including acts of corruption, can collectively be described as forms of ‘grabbing’. This unique volume addresses how grabbing hinders development at the sector level and in state administration. The contributors – researchers and practitioners who work on the ground in developing countries – present empirical data on the mechanisms at play and describe different types of unethical practices.

‘Tina Soreide and Aled Williams bring both academic depth and real world experience to this volume. . . .The editors perform outstandingly in introducing the collection, organizing the articles usefully, and orienting the reader to the cohesive whole. In fact, the quality of the Introduction is exceptional, a must-read, for content and style.’
– Linda Quest, International Social Science Review

‘The content in each chapter is compelling and provides new perspectives for tourism researchers who attempt to specifically focus on tourism competitiveness. In addition, as noted by the editors, the book can also be considered as an essential source of reference for policy-makers.’
– Metin Kozak, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change

‘This is a brave publication. I am not aware of a comparable, eclectic, investigative, in-depth book on this topic. Tina Soreide and Aled WIlliams present an informative, indeed refreshing collection of sixteen case studies from all over the world.’
– Fabian Thiel, Erdkunde

‘Informative and refreshing, these short studies from around the world provide fertile ground for discussion, analysis and positive ways forward. In this book, corrupt practices from around the world are examined by experienced practitioners and researchers who shed light on various forms of corruption.’
– Adam Graycar, Australian National University

‘“Grabbing”, as defined by Søreide and Williams, is about more than corruption. It also includes attempts to benefit unduly at the expense of the state, including overly zealous efforts to limit taxes and regulatory costs, and to influence political choices. This fascinating collection of real-world cases, presented crisply and clearly, is organized by sector, country, political influence and international aid. It will give reformers a context for their own efforts and will help analysts trace general patterns and common pathologies.’
– Susan Rose-Ackerman, Yale University, US

‘This valuable, inspiring and brave publication helps us to identify what we want, what is needed, and how to make it happen in order to skim-off the rent from the elites and the beneficiaries for the public good; and how to make elite’s access-codes to resources (more) visible.’
– Fabian Thiel, Erdkunde