KickBack - The Global Anticorruption Podcast

In this episode of KickBack, host Robert Barrington is joined by Professor Matthew Stephenson, one of the podcast’s original founders, and Professor Liz David-Barrett, Professor of Governance and Integrity and Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption at the University of Sussex, to take a wide-ranging look at trends in corruption and anti-corruption. The conversation explores key thinkers and writers that have shaped their understanding of the field, as well as broader reflections on the state of corruption studies and whether there are grounds for optimism about anti-corruption interventions. They also revisit lessons from past cases of corruption and reform, and examine the relationship between democratic accountability, the rule of law, and corruption. Additional themes include the role of artificial intelligence in shaping approaches to tackling corruption, alongside discussion of the panel’s favourite books and films on the subject. The episode concludes with reflections on what they would most like to teach in a Master’s course on corruption, and which topics they see as most important for the next generation of students in the field. Links to discussed publications: Articles Cuèllar, M.F. and Stephenson, M.C., 2022. Taming systemic corruption: the American experience and its implications for contemporary debates. World Development, 155, p.105755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105755 Dávid-Barrett, E., 2023. State capture and development: a conceptual framework. Journal of International Relations and Development, p.1. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41268-023-00290-6 Dobson Phillips, R.., Dávid-Barrett, E. and Barrington, R., 2025. Defining corruption in context. Perspectives on Politics, pp.1-15. doi:10.1017/S153759272400286X Stephenson, M.C., 2020. Corruption as a self-reinforcing trap: Implications for reform strategy. The World Bank Research Observer, 35(2), pp.192-226. https://academic.oup.com/wbro/article-abstract/35/2/192/5857269 Wathne, C. and Stephenson, M.C., 2021. The credibility of corruption statistics. A critical review of ten global estimates, April, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, https://www.u4.no/publications/the-credibility-of-corruption-statistics Recommended viewing and reading Novine - Croatian TV drama 2016-2022 All the King's Men - Oscar-winning film of 1949 (re-made in 2006) No Longer At Ease - 1960 novel by Chinua Achebe

This Kickback episode features Mo Ibrahim, who joins Liz David-Barrett to share his transition from entrepreneurship to philanthropy, by establishing the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to promote good governance and leadership in Africa. Mo shares the primary mechanisms to achieving the Foundations goals, including the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, and the Africa leadership prize, which aims to highlight positive role models and support them post-office, asserting the importance of African-led initiatives and self-reliance in the face of declining foreign aid and internal conflicts. Learn more about the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) here: https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/our-research/iiag

This episode features Oz Dincer and Michael Johnston, who join regular Kickback host Robert Barrington to discuss their new book 'Corruption in America', which explores corruption in various policy areas across all fifty states. Dincer O, Johnston M. Corruption in America: A Fifty-Ring Circus. Cambridge University Press; 2025.

This episode features Nishan de Mel, the Executive Director of Verite Research, to discuss their development of Sri Lanka’s innovative governance-linked bond, which seeks to break the country’s vicious cycle of poor governance and financial instability. Learn more about: Verite Research - https://www.veriteresearch.org The Civil Society Governance Diagnostic Report, mentioned by Nishan - https://www.tisrilanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GDA_REPORT_2023.pdf And the IMF’s Governance Diagnostic Assessment - https://www.treasury.gov.lk/news/article/221 For more on issues of corruption in Sri Lanka, check out Kickback episode 106, with Sankhitha Gunaratne.

For this episode, regular host Liz David-Barrett is joined by Dr Daniel Paget, an assistant professor in politics at the University of Sussex, to unpack the nuances of electoral authoritarianism in Tanzania, the aspirations of a key opposition movement, and the power of alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding the fight against domination and for democracy. Find Daniel's paper 'The Anti-Authoritarian Populisms: Ideologies of Democratic Struggle in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Worldwide' (2024) here: https://www.danpaget.com/recent-publication and ‘A people power philosophy: republican ideology in opposition in Tanzania.’ (2023) here: https://www-tandfonline-com.sussex.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1080/13510347.2022.2150759 DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded several days before the arrest of Tundu Lissu.

This episode features a discussion between regular KB host Liz David-Barrett, and Kevin E. Davis, the Beller Family Professor of Business Law at NYU School of Law. Their conversation centres on the international regulation of bribery and corruption, specifically focusing on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), following President Trump's recent suspension of its enforcement. The episode explores the potential implications for U.S. companies, foreign entities, and international anti-corruption efforts. Read Kevin's recent blog post on this issue here: https://wp.nyu.edu/compliance_enforcement/2025/02/21/implications-of-pausing-fcpa-enforcement/ And his paper on international regulation here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4506000

This episode dives into the shadowy world of illicit financial networks with Dr Dan Haberly, whose research with the GI ACE program addresses significant knowledge gaps around the opaque structures of the global economy. Dan introduces the Regulation of Illicit Financial Flows (RIFF) dataset, which aims to track regulatory progress in financial transparency. The discussion examines the geographical reorganisation and persistence of illicit networks and the role of various jurisdictions in facilitating illicit finance. Learn more about Dan and GI ACE's ground-breaking research here: https://giace.org/resources/from-secrecy-to-scrutiny-a-new-map-of-illicit-global-financial-networks-and-regulation/ https://giace.org/resources/the-regulation-of-illicit-financial-flows-riff-dataset/ This research is part of the Governance & Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE) programme which generates actionable evidence that policymakers, practitioners and advocates can use to design and implement more effective anti-corruption initiatives. This GI ACE project is funded by UK International Development. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official policies.