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The etiquette of bribes–learning, teaching and knowing

Thelander, Joakim LU and Åkerström, Malin LU (2022) In Nordic Journal of Criminology 23(2). p.231-246
Abstract

How are bribes supposed to be given or taken? In this article, we study how individuals from countries with low tolerance of corruption learn, teach others and present themselves as knowledgeable about the etiquette of bribes. This involves the social practices of everyday corruption and petty bribes when working as ’strangers’ in countries where such exchanges are more common. Previous interviews on bribery with Swedish and Danish aid workers, and Swedish representatives from adoption organizations, were searched for descriptions of giving, receiving and avoiding petty bribes. We argue that an appreciation of the etiquette of bribes is important for understanding the social practices of giving and/or taking bribes. Such an etiquette is... (More)

How are bribes supposed to be given or taken? In this article, we study how individuals from countries with low tolerance of corruption learn, teach others and present themselves as knowledgeable about the etiquette of bribes. This involves the social practices of everyday corruption and petty bribes when working as ’strangers’ in countries where such exchanges are more common. Previous interviews on bribery with Swedish and Danish aid workers, and Swedish representatives from adoption organizations, were searched for descriptions of giving, receiving and avoiding petty bribes. We argue that an appreciation of the etiquette of bribes is important for understanding the social practices of giving and/or taking bribes. Such an etiquette is not ‘random’ but addresses and resolves practical and interactional concerns for the actors involved in those exchanges.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bribes, corruption, Etiquette, interviews, practices
in
Nordic Journal of Criminology
volume
23
issue
2
pages
231 - 246
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:85132421458
ISSN
2578-983X
DOI
10.1080/2578983X.2022.2089455
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7afce1e6-5562-4ce1-9478-cb70bb0ee7c6
date added to LUP
2022-08-30 14:35:12
date last changed
2023-01-16 10:16:35
@article{7afce1e6-5562-4ce1-9478-cb70bb0ee7c6,
  abstract     = {{<p>How are bribes supposed to be given or taken? In this article, we study how individuals from countries with low tolerance of corruption learn, teach others and present themselves as knowledgeable about the etiquette of bribes. This involves the social practices of everyday corruption and petty bribes when working as ’strangers’ in countries where such exchanges are more common. Previous interviews on bribery with Swedish and Danish aid workers, and Swedish representatives from adoption organizations, were searched for descriptions of giving, receiving and avoiding petty bribes. We argue that an appreciation of the etiquette of bribes is important for understanding the social practices of giving and/or taking bribes. Such an etiquette is not ‘random’ but addresses and resolves practical and interactional concerns for the actors involved in those exchanges.</p>}},
  author       = {{Thelander, Joakim and Åkerström, Malin}},
  issn         = {{2578-983X}},
  keywords     = {{bribes; corruption; Etiquette; interviews; practices}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{231--246}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Criminology}},
  title        = {{The etiquette of bribes–learning, teaching and knowing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2022.2089455}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/2578983X.2022.2089455}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}