[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":576},["ShallowReactive",2],{"publication-lineage-associations-and-informal-politics-mapping-leadership-kyrgyzstan":3,"related-lineage-associations-and-informal-politics-mapping-leadership-kyrgyzstan":127},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"date_created":8,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":15,"year":16,"publisher":17,"date_published":18,"external":19,"topic":20,"link_internal":22,"link_external":23,"featured":27,"topics":28,"languages":30,"type":31,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":33,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"image":35,"countries":46,"tags":73,"pdf":108,"authors":109},1948,"published",null,"2022-04-27T11:55:18.000Z","2026-05-29T22:23:04.000Z",895,"lineage-associations-and-informal-politics-mapping-leadership-kyrgyzstan","Lineage Associations and Informal Politics: Mapping Leadership in Kyrgyzstan","This article results from the project on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\u002Fresearch-projects\u002Finformal-governance\">Informal governance and corruption - Transcending the Principal Agent and Collective Action Paradigms\u003C\u002Fa>, funded by the British Academy-DFID Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) programme.\n\nThe author's aim in this project was to explore local patterns of informality in Kyrgyzstan in order to understand how relations of power and influence are organised in daily life.","","English",2018,"Central Eurasian Studies Society","2018-01-04",true,[21],"Public Governance",[],[24],{"url":25,"caption":26},"http:\u002F\u002Fthecessblog.com\u002F2018\u002F01\u002Flineage-associations-in-kyrgyzstan-by-aksana-ismailbekova\u002F","View article on the CESS blog",false,[29],"Corruption Prevention and Public Governance",[15],[32],"Article",[34],"Collective Action",{"id":36,"storage":37,"filename_disk":38,"filename_download":39,"title":40,"type":41,"created_on":8,"modified_on":8,"charset":7,"filesize":42,"width":43,"height":44,"duration":7,"embed":7,"description":7,"location":7,"tags":7,"metadata":45,"focal_point_x":7,"focal_point_y":7,"tus_id":7,"tus_data":7,"uploaded_on":8},"346e2859-77ff-4f7b-b969-8e3f567055fb","local","346e2859-77ff-4f7b-b969-8e3f567055fb.png","Screenshot-2019-04-30-at-08.25.12.png","Screenshot 2019-04-30 at 08.25.12.png","image\u002Fpng",834790,1263,1257,{},[47],{"id":48,"publications_id":49,"countries_id":67},865,{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":8,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":36,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":15,"year":16,"publisher":17,"date_published":18,"external":19,"topic":52,"link_internal":53,"link_external":54,"featured":27,"topics":56,"languages":57,"type":58,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":59,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"countries":60,"tags":61,"pdf":64,"authors":65},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6",[21],[],[55],{"url":25,"caption":26},[29],[15],[32],[34],[48],[62,63],5009,5010,[],[66],2124,{"id":68,"name":69,"code":70,"latitude":71,"longitude":72},114,"Kyrgyzstan","KG",41.20438,74.7661,[74,91],{"id":62,"publications_id":75,"tags_id":88},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":8,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":36,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":15,"year":16,"publisher":17,"date_published":18,"external":19,"topic":76,"link_internal":77,"link_external":78,"featured":27,"topics":80,"languages":81,"type":82,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":83,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"countries":84,"tags":85,"pdf":86,"authors":87},[21],[],[79],{"url":25,"caption":26},[29],[15],[32],[34],[48],[62,63],[],[66],{"id":89,"name":90},1309,"Informality",{"id":63,"publications_id":92,"tags_id":105},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":8,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":36,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":15,"year":16,"publisher":17,"date_published":18,"external":19,"topic":93,"link_internal":94,"link_external":95,"featured":27,"topics":97,"languages":98,"type":99,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":100,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"countries":101,"tags":102,"pdf":103,"authors":104},[21],[],[96],{"url":25,"caption":26},[29],[15],[32],[34],[48],[62,63],[],[66],{"id":106,"name":107},1373,"Corruption prevention",[],[110],{"id":66,"publications_id":111,"authors_id":124},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":8,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":36,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":15,"year":16,"publisher":17,"date_published":18,"external":19,"topic":112,"link_internal":113,"link_external":114,"featured":27,"topics":116,"languages":117,"type":118,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":119,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"countries":120,"tags":121,"pdf":122,"authors":123},[21],[],[115],{"url":25,"caption":26},[29],[15],[32],[34],[48],[62,63],[],[66],{"id":125,"name":126,"position":7,"image":7},373,"Aksana Ismailbekova",[128,183,230,293,336,394,425,463,494,530],{"id":129,"slug":130,"title":131,"status":6,"nid":132,"year":133,"body":134,"external":27,"topic":135,"language":15,"type":136,"date_published":138,"image":139,"citation":14,"publisher":140,"link_internal":141,"link_external":148,"authors":149,"countries":154,"tags":163,"pdf":176,"topics":178,"featured":27,"languages":179,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":180,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":181,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":182},2283,"research-case-3","Research Case Study 3: Exposing the networks behind transnational corruption and money laundering schemes",2454,2023,"Corruption is increasingly understood as a form of collective, social behaviour. It slips easily across borders and involves sophisticated financial strategies and transactions to launder the stolen money. \n\nYet the nexus between corruption and money laundering is poorly understood. So too are the structures, functions and mechanisms that enable these crimes.\n\nWe applied analytical tools to reveal the complex networks behind a corruption and money laundering scheme involving Odebrecht and Peru’s former president. The insights can support strategic approaches to fight transnational corruption.",[21],[137],"Research Case Study","2023-05-31","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fca5d66b9-58f2-42fd-afa6-1d3224f01f9d?width=600&height=840","Basel Institute on Governance",[142,145],{"url":143,"caption":144},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fworking-paper-36-revealing-networks-behind-corruption-and-money-laundering-schemes"," View related Working Paper",{"url":146,"caption":147},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Research%20Case%20Study"," View all research case studies",[],[150],{"authors_id":151},{"id":152,"name":153},304,"Jacopo Costa",[155,159],{"countries_id":156},{"id":157,"name":158},171,"Peru",{"countries_id":160},{"id":161,"name":162},29,"Brazil",[164,168,170,172],{"tags_id":165},{"id":166,"name":167},879,"Money laundering",{"tags_id":169},{"id":89,"name":90},{"tags_id":171},{"id":106,"name":107},{"tags_id":173},{"id":174,"name":175},818,"Anti-money laundering",[177],2318,[29],[15],"2023-05-31T10:04:29.000Z","2026-06-02T14:09:06.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fresearch-case-3",{"id":184,"slug":185,"title":186,"status":6,"nid":187,"year":188,"body":189,"external":27,"topic":190,"language":15,"type":193,"date_published":196,"image":197,"citation":14,"publisher":140,"link_internal":198,"link_external":205,"authors":206,"countries":209,"tags":210,"pdf":223,"topics":225,"featured":27,"languages":227,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":228,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":229,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":143},1798,"working-paper-36-revealing-networks-behind-corruption-and-money-laundering-schemes","Working Paper 36: Revealing the networks behind corruption and money laundering schemes: an analysis of the Toledo–Odebrecht case using social network analysis and network ethnography",2050,2021,"This working paper is based on an empirical investigation of corruption and illicit exchange related to the so-called “Lava Jato” or “Odebrecht” scandal. Focusing on former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo and his laundering of bribes obtained from the construction giant Odebrecht, the analysis aims to test the usefulness of applying a network lens to better understand the mechanisms underlying grand corruption cases. It also aims to further illuminate the nexus between corruption and money laundering and the role of hidden and offshore financial infrastructures in facilitating the illicit schemes. \n\nThe research used a combination of social network analysis and network ethnography techniques to explore the following questions: \n\n\n- How do money laundering activities and offshore financial infrastructures sustain corruption? \n- Who are the key actors involved, how do they interact and what is their division of labour? \n- How do actors and clusters govern the social-financial web of relations? \n\n\nAnswering these questions with empirical evidence related to a specific case makes it possible to better understand how the connection between corruption and money laundering using offshore financial infrastructure works. It also supports the emerging understanding of corruption as a collective, transnational and financially advanced phenomenon. \n\n### About this report\n\nThis paper is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Working Paper Series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications?type[]=255\">ISSN: 2624-9650\u003C\u002Fa>.\n\nIt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). \n\nSuggested citation: Costa, J., 2021. *Revealing the networks behind corruption and money laundering schemes: an analysis of the Toledo–Odebrecht case using social network analysis and network ethnography*. Working Paper 36, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fworking-paper-36-revealing-networks-behind-corruption-and-money-laundering-schemes\">https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fworking-paper-36-revealing-net…\u003C\u002Fa>",[191,192,21],"Anti-Money Laundering","Asset Recovery",[194,195],"Report","Working Paper","2021-07-08","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb9766eed-37a9-40e2-97d0-3b05e149b633?width=600&height=840",[199,202],{"url":200,"caption":201},"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fnew-analysis-of-the-toledo-odebrecht-case-illuminates-the-complex-transnational-networks-behind-corruption-and-money-laundering-schemes-2051"," Summary \u002F blog by author",{"url":203,"caption":204},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Working%20Paper"," View all Working Papers",[],[207],{"authors_id":208},{"id":152,"name":153},[],[211,213,215,217,219],{"tags_id":212},{"id":166,"name":167},{"tags_id":214},{"id":89,"name":90},{"tags_id":216},{"id":106,"name":107},{"tags_id":218},{"id":174,"name":175},{"tags_id":220},{"id":221,"name":222},973,"Corruption",[224],1833,[191,226,29],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[15],"2022-04-27T11:53:43.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:41.000Z",{"id":231,"slug":232,"title":233,"status":6,"nid":234,"year":235,"body":236,"external":27,"topic":237,"language":15,"type":238,"date_published":239,"image":240,"citation":14,"publisher":241,"link_internal":242,"link_external":252,"authors":256,"countries":267,"tags":276,"pdf":287,"topics":288,"featured":27,"languages":289,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":290,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":291,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":292},2221,"informal-networks-investment-qualitative-analysis-uganda-and-tanzania","Informal networks as investment: A qualitative analysis from Uganda and Tanzania",2277,2022,"Published in the peer-reviewed journal *Governance*, this paper interprets informal networks as investments made by citizens and business people to cope with the public sphere. Informal networks often orchestrate corruption, connecting public and private actors. The paper aims to understand their key characteristics, scopes, and functional roles.\n\nTen mini case studies from Tanzania and Uganda are studied. The research applies narrative analysis to explore the experiences of citizens, entrepreneurs, and low-level public officials, who built informal networks as a problem-solving mechanism. It uses a grounded theory approach. The findings serve as working hypotheses about variables and patterns emerging from the bottom-up analysis.\n\nThe paper outlines:\n\n\n- Whether there are distinct types of informal networks associated with particular types of corruption;\n- How, why and by whom these networks are built;\n- Whether different individuals play specific roles;\n- The unwritten expectations and norms that govern such networks.\n\n\nThe results highlight critical implications for anti-corruption practice, showing, for example, how this can be strengthened by shifting the intervention unit from individuals to networks.\n\n### About this article\n\nThis peer-reviewed article is based on extensive field research and analysis conducted by the Basel Institute's Public Governance team in Tanzania and Uganda. The research was funded by UK Aid under the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI-ACE) programme. See the links below for the open-access research outputs, including a full research report and two sets of case studies.",[21],[32],"2022-08-25","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F1771fed4-0a6d-4050-88ce-494e877fab4e?width=600&height=840","Governance (Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the IPSA Structure and Organization of Government Committee)",[243,246,249],{"url":244,"caption":245},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Finformal-networks-investment-east-africa"," View open access research report: Informal networks as investment in East Africa",{"url":247,"caption":248},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fcase-studies-tanzania-gi-ace-research-informal-networks-and-corruption"," View case studies from Tanzania",{"url":250,"caption":251},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fcase-studies-uganda-gi-ace-research-informal-networks-and-corruption"," View case studies from Uganda",[253],{"url":254,"caption":255},"https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fgove.12726","View peer-reviewed article on Wiley Online Library",[257,261,263],{"authors_id":258},{"id":259,"name":260},295,"Claudia Baez Camargo",{"authors_id":262},{"id":152,"name":153},{"authors_id":264},{"id":265,"name":266},359,"Lucy Koechlin",[268,272],{"countries_id":269},{"id":270,"name":271},224,"Tanzania",{"countries_id":273},{"id":274,"name":275},226,"Uganda",[277,281,285],{"tags_id":278},{"id":279,"name":280},982,"Anti-corruption",{"tags_id":282},{"id":283,"name":284},848,"Behavioural science",{"tags_id":286},{"id":89,"name":90},[],[29],[15],"2022-09-06T14:10:21.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:59.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Finformal-networks-investment-qualitative-analysis-uganda-and-tanzania",{"id":294,"slug":295,"title":296,"status":6,"nid":297,"year":188,"body":298,"external":27,"topic":299,"language":15,"type":300,"date_published":301,"image":302,"citation":14,"publisher":303,"link_internal":304,"link_external":310,"authors":311,"countries":318,"tags":323,"pdf":330,"topics":332,"featured":27,"languages":333,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":334,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":335,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":244},1779,"informal-networks-investment-east-africa","Informal networks as investment in East Africa",2126,"This report presents findings from a research project entitled \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Face.globalintegrity.org\u002Fprojects\u002Finformality\u002F\">Harnessing informality: Designing anti-corruption network interventions and strategic use of legal instruments\u003C\u002Fa>” funded by UK Aid as part of the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme (GI-ACE).\n\nThe project follows from a previous research project where the Basel Institute on Governance, in partnership with University College London and SOAS, researched informality and its relationship with corruption and governance in seven countries in East Africa and Central Asia. The findings from that research project suggested that corruption often takes place according to informal, unwritten rules. The findings from the seven countries supported the following observation:\n\n\n“Corruption is most often not the result from the actions of a few, individual rotten apples operating in otherwise healthy governance systems; rather corruption is orchestrated by informal social networks that connect actors in the public and private realms and enable the pursuit of a variety of intransparent, often illicit, goals.”\n\n\nIn our current research project, we have aimed to understand how informal networks that are associated with different types of corruption are exactly articulated, operationalised and managed, with a view to distilling lessons of value to anti-corruption practitioners.\n\nThe present report sheds light on the functioning of informal networks in East Africa, based on evidence collected in Tanzania and Uganda. The report presents evidence, consisting of ten mini-case studies (six from Tanzania and four from Uganda) that describe informal networks associated with bribery and procurement fraud. The 10 cases are also analysed and implications for anti-corruption practice discussed.",[21],[32,194],"2021-11-02","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fe420805b-118f-48cb-8bff-675352716c10?width=600&height=840","Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme (GI-ACE)",[305,306,307],{"url":247,"caption":248},{"url":250,"caption":251},{"url":308,"caption":309},"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbribery-isnt-only-an-exchange-of-money-what-new-research-tells-us-about-how-informal-networks-enable-corruption-and-vice-versa-2129"," View blog\u002Fshort summary by Claudia Baez Camargo",[],[312,314,316],{"authors_id":313},{"id":259,"name":260},{"authors_id":315},{"id":152,"name":153},{"authors_id":317},{"id":265,"name":266},[319,321],{"countries_id":320},{"id":270,"name":271},{"countries_id":322},{"id":274,"name":275},[324,326,328],{"tags_id":325},{"id":279,"name":280},{"tags_id":327},{"id":283,"name":284},{"tags_id":329},{"id":89,"name":90},[331],1804,[29],[15],"2022-04-27T11:53:30.000Z","2026-06-02T14:10:29.000Z",{"id":337,"slug":338,"title":339,"status":6,"nid":340,"year":188,"body":341,"external":27,"topic":342,"language":15,"type":343,"date_published":344,"image":345,"citation":14,"publisher":346,"link_internal":347,"link_external":348,"authors":352,"countries":365,"tags":379,"pdf":388,"topics":389,"featured":27,"languages":390,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":391,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":392,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":393},1797,"insiders-corruption-versus-outsiders-ethicality-individual-responses-conflicting","Insider’s corruption versus outsider’s ethicality? Individual responses to conflicting institutional logics",2061,"This article arises from the work of the Basel Institute's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\">Public Governance team\u003C\u002Fa> on informal governance. It was produced by research partners at the ESCP Business School (Paris) and the EDC Paris Business School (Courbevoie), France.\n\n### Abstract\n\nIn this article, we seek to understand whether and to what extent the sense of belonging to a powerful network affects individual decision-making in terms of ethicality with regard to a corrupt situation. We study the behaviour of insiders (individuals who belong to a power network, i.e. a network of individuals connected by interpersonal relationships to a person in a position of power) and outsiders in a corrupt versus non-corrupt environments using the theoretical frameworks of institutional logics and informal networks. Our hypotheses were tested with the help of a vignette-based experiment with 464 participants from countries considered as corrupt (Kazakhstan and Russia) and non-corrupt (UK and USA).\n\n### About this research\n\nThis research was funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the British Academy through the British Academy\u002FDFID Anti-Corruption Evidence Program. However, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the British Academy or DFID.\n\nFor more information on the wider project and to download other country findings, see the Basel Institute’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\u002Fresearch-projects\u002Finformal-governance\">Informal Governance website\u003C\u002Fa>.",[21],[32],"2021-07-12","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fe69b6c35-a012-4988-bae5-c9ad6b23ed41?width=600&height=840","The International Journal of Human Resource Management",[],[349],{"url":350,"caption":351},"https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1080\u002F09585192.2021.1945652","View article",[353,357,361],{"authors_id":354},{"id":355,"name":356},365,"Maral Muratbekova-Touron",{"authors_id":358},{"id":359,"name":360},366,"Camila Lee Park",{"authors_id":362},{"id":363,"name":364},367,"Mauro Fracarolli Nunes",[366,370,374,378],{"countries_id":367},{"id":368,"name":369},123,"Kazakhstan",{"countries_id":371},{"id":372,"name":373},188,"Russia",{"countries_id":375},{"id":376,"name":377},225,"Ukraine",{"countries_id":7},[380,382,384],{"tags_id":381},{"id":283,"name":284},{"tags_id":383},{"id":89,"name":90},{"tags_id":385},{"id":386,"name":387},1274,"Ethics",[],[29],[15],"2022-04-27T11:53:42.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:41.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Finsiders-corruption-versus-outsiders-ethicality-individual-responses-conflicting",{"id":395,"slug":396,"title":397,"status":6,"nid":398,"year":399,"body":400,"external":27,"topic":401,"language":15,"type":402,"date_published":403,"image":404,"citation":14,"publisher":140,"link_internal":405,"link_external":406,"authors":407,"countries":410,"tags":413,"pdf":418,"topics":420,"featured":27,"languages":421,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":422,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":423,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":424},1849,"e-informality-smartphones-new-regulatory-space-informal-exchange-formal-resources","E-informality: smartphones as a new regulatory space for informal exchange of formal resources",1800,2020,"Mobile phones and other technologies have transformed the nature and dynamics of informal social networks in Kyrgyzstan. Some scholars argue that new technology (electronisation, digitalisation) helps to prevent corruption and reduce the risk of bribery, informal social networks and bureaucracy. In their view, new technology has the potential to create transparent and efficient ways to access public services. This is usually done by implementing electronic queue systems, online payment platforms, registers and other public services, as well as transparency portals providing access to government data, statistics and state laws and regulations.\n\nBased on our research in Kyrgyzstan, we explore the extent to which smartphones and new technologies are empowering citizens to access public services in Kyrgyzstan through the logistics of informal networking. We observed that this is especially practised among young people both in Kyrgyzstan and in Russia. By using smartphones, young people:\n\n\n- help each other in times of need (to expedite access to public resources);\n- share information about possible reliable networks (*svyazi*);\n- recommend reliable networks to each other;\n- prioritise these networks over others.\n\n\nAs many international organisations and government agencies are trying to support the fight against corruption and informality through the use of new technology, young people in Kyrgyzstan are finding creative ways of bypassing new technology. At the same time, they are driving the dynamics of informal social networks by using this technology and in particular smartphones.\n\nThe generational aspect became unexpectedly important during the research because of striking differences between the experiences and practices of informality between younger and middle-aged generations. Both generations have similar contemporary experiences of insecurity, financial struggles and socio-economic conditions in the post-Soviet context, but these two groups have different experiences with the Soviet times themselves. Several young people pointed out that “informality, even corruption, for us is a normal thing”. They perceive informality and bribery as a “normal” feature of daily life with two sides – hindering as well as establishing careers. The middle-aged generation, however, whose background is rooted in the Soviet period, see it in a negative light, even though they still practise informality and bribery in their everyday lives.\n\nThe intensive use of smartphones by young people becomes obvious when they try to access public services by means of informal social networks. Middle-aged generations use telephones for logistical tasks and communication with friends and family members, but young people go beyond these merely logistical tasks. They actively use social media (*odnoklassniki* groups - Russian social networking services, like Facebook, that are widely used in Kyrgyzstan and in other post-Soviet countries) and mobile applications (WhatsApp, immo) when they need help by sharing information amongst one another, and their friends and friends of friends.\n\nMore specifically, young people have created “WhatsApp-based communities for getting things done quickly”. These perpetuate the mutual benefit of reciprocity, mainly for issues related to the public sector. Young people are better socially connected and informed about each other’s work, receive news (who got which positions), stay in touch with important people on a regular basis (even if they move to another place), learn about important events, and get advice on specific issues.\n\n### About this research\n\nThe research presented in this report is funded by the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme (GI-ACE) as part of the Basel Institute on Governance-led research programme on Harnessing informality: Designing anti-corruption network interventions and strategic use of legal instruments. For more information see the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Face.globalintegrity.org\u002Fprojects\u002Finformality\u002F\">GI-ACE project description \u003C\u002Fa>and the Basel Institute’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\u002Fresearch-projects\u002Finformal-governance\">Informal Governance resource\u003C\u002Fa>.\n\nThe authors would like to express their gratitude to the Volkswagen Foundation, which supported the research of Gulzat Baialieva. Our thanks also go to the Leibniz Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO).",[21],[194],"2020-07-02","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Ff457e51b-9084-44f7-85f3-ea4cd27faf86?width=600&height=840",[],[],[408],{"authors_id":409},{"id":125,"name":126},[411],{"countries_id":412},{"id":68,"name":69},[414,416],{"tags_id":415},{"id":283,"name":284},{"tags_id":417},{"id":89,"name":90},[419],1881,[29],[15],"2022-04-27T11:54:14.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:50.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fe-informality-smartphones-new-regulatory-space-informal-exchange-formal-resources",{"id":426,"slug":427,"title":428,"status":6,"nid":429,"year":133,"body":430,"external":27,"topic":431,"language":15,"type":432,"date_published":433,"image":434,"citation":435,"publisher":140,"link_internal":436,"link_external":438,"authors":439,"countries":446,"tags":449,"pdf":456,"topics":458,"featured":27,"languages":459,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":460,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":461,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":462},2324,"research-case-5","Research Case Study 5: Harnessing behavioural approaches against corruption",2550,"Social norms and behaviour change (SNBC) approaches are a promising complement to conventional anti-corruption strategies. Adopting a context-sensitive and nuanced approach is an essential ingredient for success.\n\nWe wanted to understand if and how behavioural approaches can promote anti-corruption outcomes, as well as conditions for success.\n\nTo do this we reviewed research from 2016–2022 on the use of behavioural approaches in anti-corruption practice. We also analysed our practical experience designing and piloting an intervention to tackle social norms of reciprocity which fuel bribery in health facilities in Tanzania.",[21],[137],"2023-12-05","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa4b5e14a-9841-4feb-8411-335c9f972aba?width=600&height=840","Baez Camargo, Claudia, and Saba Kassa. 2023. ‘Harnessing behavioural approaches against corruption.’ Research Case Study 5, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: baselgov- ernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fresearch-case-5.",[437],{"url":146,"caption":147},[],[440,442],{"authors_id":441},{"id":259,"name":260},{"authors_id":443},{"id":444,"name":445},303,"Saba Kassa",[447],{"countries_id":448},{"id":270,"name":271},[450,452,454],{"tags_id":451},{"id":283,"name":284},{"tags_id":453},{"id":89,"name":90},{"tags_id":455},{"id":279,"name":280},[457],2360,[29],[15],"2023-12-06T11:04:47.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:43.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fresearch-case-5",{"id":464,"slug":465,"title":466,"status":6,"nid":467,"year":133,"body":468,"external":27,"topic":469,"language":15,"type":471,"date_published":472,"image":473,"citation":14,"publisher":140,"link_internal":474,"link_external":476,"authors":477,"countries":480,"tags":481,"pdf":488,"topics":490,"featured":27,"languages":491,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":492,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":229,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":493},2311,"research-case-4","Research case study 4: Deconstructing a criminal network involved in illegal wildlife trade between East Africa and Southeast Asia ",2518,"The illegal wildlife trade threatens biodiversity and security worldwide. Criminal networks pocket billions of dollars in illicit profits from stripping the world bare of endangered species and corrupting politicians and public officials in the process.\n\nYet there is very little empirical evidence on the role of both ordinary citizens and criminal networks in the illegal wildlife trade. Our research aims to fill this gap.\n\nWe used social network analysis and network ethnography techniques to study the criminal network of a wildlife trafficker based in East Africa. The insights can bolster law enforcement efforts aimed at identifying and dismantling wildlife trafficking networks.",[470,21],"Green Corruption",[137],"2023-10-11","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F19e03984-8caf-4871-8d80-b7226ea6403c?width=600&height=840",[475],{"url":146,"caption":147},[],[478],{"authors_id":479},{"id":152,"name":153},[],[482,486],{"tags_id":483},{"id":484,"name":485},1303,"Environment",{"tags_id":487},{"id":89,"name":90},[489],2347,[470,29],[15],"2023-10-11T16:04:41.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fresearch-case-4",{"id":495,"slug":496,"title":497,"status":6,"nid":498,"year":133,"body":499,"external":27,"topic":500,"language":15,"type":501,"date_published":502,"image":503,"citation":14,"publisher":140,"link_internal":504,"link_external":505,"authors":506,"countries":513,"tags":518,"pdf":523,"topics":525,"featured":27,"languages":526,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":527,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":528,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":529},2278,"research-case-2","Research case study 2: Leveraging informal networks for anti-corruption in East Africa",2432,"Citizens and business people may invest significant time and money in building informal networks with public officials to overcome public service delivery shortcomings and access business opportunities. Understanding these networks better can strengthen anti-corruption efforts.\n\nThis research case study gives a brief overview of our Public Governance team's research in Uganda and Tanzania. Through interviews, the team explored when, how and why informal networks are built and used to access public services or business opportunities corruptly.\n\nThe research project described was carried out under the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme (GI-ACE), funded with UK aid from the UK government. All results are freely shareable under a Creative Commons licence.",[21],[137],"2023-05-17","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F7d1b37bc-c9a9-458b-9b5c-5e140061e6dd?width=600&height=840",[],[],[507,509,511],{"authors_id":508},{"id":259,"name":260},{"authors_id":510},{"id":444,"name":445},{"authors_id":512},{"id":152,"name":153},[514,516],{"countries_id":515},{"id":274,"name":275},{"countries_id":517},{"id":270,"name":271},[519,521],{"tags_id":520},{"id":283,"name":284},{"tags_id":522},{"id":89,"name":90},[524],2314,[29],[15],"2023-05-17T10:04:49.000Z","2026-05-31T22:52:11.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fresearch-case-2",{"id":531,"slug":532,"title":533,"status":6,"nid":534,"year":235,"body":535,"external":27,"topic":536,"language":15,"type":537,"date_published":539,"image":540,"citation":541,"publisher":140,"link_internal":542,"link_external":546,"authors":547,"countries":554,"tags":559,"pdf":569,"topics":571,"featured":27,"languages":572,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":50,"date_created":573,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":574,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":575},1760,"policy-brief-9-informal-networks-and-what-they-mean-anti-corruption-practice","Policy Brief 9: Informal networks and what they mean for anti-corruption practice",2166,"Corruption is frequently associated with money alone and the behaviours of a few individual “bad apples” operating in otherwise healthy governance systems. This is too simplistic. As the latest research shows, including research in Tanzania and Uganda on which this Policy Brief is based, corruption is a networked phenomenon. This Policy Brief explains what this means and its implications for anti-corruption practice.\n\nWhen ordinary citizens and business people face problems, like constrained access to public services or an uneven playing field, they invest time, effort and resources in building informal networks.\n\nHeld together by personal connections and corrupt payments, these informal networks are a problem-solving mechanism. They allow members – such as business people, other citizens and public officials – to pursue a variety of goals. The networks aid in easing access to public services, for example, or helping a business to run smoothly, or securing business opportunities with the government. Informal networks can be leveraged to speed up long and complicated permit processes or exploit weaknesses in formal tender processes to obtain undue access to contracts. When red tape is used by public officials to extort bribes from service users, informal networks can help manage and overcome these demands. \n\nIn contexts in which these informal networks are widespread, the research shows that conventional anti-corruption measures, such as introducing more regulations, policies and controls, can actually backfire and increase corruption. \n\nBreaking this self-reinforcing cycle of networked corruption requires a shift in thinking and approaches:\n\n\n- **Focusing on networked corruption** as opposed to individual corrupt behaviours.\n- **Tackling corruption both from the demand and the supply side** by addressing inefficiencies and weaknesses in public systems that cause problems for ordinary citizens and business people. This may make it less likely that they will resort to corruption through informal networks to overcome the public service weaknesses.\n- **Harnessing informal networks for anti-corruption objectives.** This includes leveraging new insights into social norms and networks and establishing Collective Action initiatives to better target the underlying drivers of corruption.\n\n\n## About this Policy Brief\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Policy Brief series, ISSN 2624-9669. It presents findings from a research project entitled “\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Face.globalintegrity.org\u002Fprojects\u002Finformality\u002F\">Harnessing informality: Designing anti-corruption network interventions and strategic use of legal instruments\u003C\u002Fa>”, funded by UK Aid as part of the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme (GI-ACE).\n\nIt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). ",[21],[538],"Policy Brief","2022-02-21","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc9f50b43-2246-4e39-a1b1-052b0e9829f1?width=600&height=840","Baez Camargo, Claudia, Jacopo Costa, and Saba Kassa. 2022. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpolicy-brief-9-informal-networks-and-what-they-mean-anti-corruption-practice\">Informal networks and what they mean for anti-corruption practice.\u003C\u002Fa> *Policy Brief* 9, Basel Institute on Governance.",[543],{"url":544,"caption":545},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Policy%20Brief"," View all Policy Briefs",[],[548,550,552],{"authors_id":549},{"id":259,"name":260},{"authors_id":551},{"id":152,"name":153},{"authors_id":553},{"id":444,"name":445},[555,557],{"countries_id":556},{"id":270,"name":271},{"countries_id":558},{"id":274,"name":275},[560,562,565,567],{"tags_id":561},{"id":279,"name":280},{"tags_id":563},{"id":564,"name":34},909,{"tags_id":566},{"id":221,"name":222},{"tags_id":568},{"id":89,"name":90},[570],1786,[29],[15],"2022-04-27T11:53:17.000Z","2026-06-02T14:09:04.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fpolicy-brief-9-informal-networks-and-what-they-mean-anti-corruption-practice",1780676577217]