Module SGIA3451: "MONEY POLITICS" IN EAST ASIA: CRONIES, CLIENTS AND CORRUPTION

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA3451: "MONEY POLITICS" IN EAST ASIA: CRONIES, CLIENTS AND CORRUPTION

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• Throughout East Asia – in a range of phenomena often collectively labelled “money politics” – inter-personal networks connect politicians to organised crime, corrupt bureaucrats and wealthy business elites. The aim of this module is to explore these informal flows of money – in both democratic and autocratic regimes. Using a variety of methods, we will discuss the forms, determinants, actors and outcomes of “money politics”.

Content

• The first part of the module will introduce students to the different theoretical approaches to the study of “money politics” and equip them with the methodological “tools” needed to analyse informal institutions.
• The knowledge gained in the first section will then be used to study particular forms of “money politics” in East Asia, such as corruption, clientelism, cronyism, or vote buying. We will identify the principal actors and discuss their motivations for engaging in the informal exchange of money and material goods.
• The final section of the module will explore how informal “money politics” has shaped outcomes in politics, the economy and society.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain knowledge of:
• key concepts of informal politics and the main theories that explain the emergence of informal institutions.
• the political and social conditions that have fostered clientelism, corruption and other forms of “money politics” in East Asia.
• the hidden channels of illegal money flow in East Asia and the key actors embedded in these networks.
• how “money politics” can be used to explain important political outcomes in East Asia.
• how informal politics can be effectively fought through formal laws and regulations, and whether this has been successful in East Asia.

• On successful completion of the module students will:
• be able to identify particularistic informal institutions that violate formal rules and procedures.
• be aware of the implications particularistic informal institutions can have for politics and society.
• be able to contribute to debates over what causes the emergence of particularistic informal institutions and how they can be effectively combated.
• be familiar with the major primary and secondary sources relevant to study informal institutions, and be able to analyse these sources critically and use them as a basis for their own independent research.

• Through the module, students develop key skills including:
• independent learning within a defined framework,
• independent thought in analysing and critiquing existing scholarship on the subject area and in evaluating its contribution,
• the ability to work in a small team to plan and deliver a research project,
• the ability to use a wide variety of sources, including mass media and primary sources, and o the ability to work to a deadline and complete written work within word limits.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning is through 13 1-hour lectures and 9 1-hour seminars. The lectures offer initial instruction in concepts and theories, and impart basic information necessary for the module. Seminars will either (a) be structured around conceptual aspects of “money politics” in East Asia – with students participating in a guided discussion of these aspects on a theoretical and comparative level – or (b) take the form of ‘project surgery’ sessions, where students – in small groups – apply general concepts and theories to the specific case study allocated to them (see Summative Assessment below).
• Formative assessment is by a 1,500-word one-item literature review, and – as part of a team – a presentation of the group project to a discussion panel. The one-item literature review offers students an opportunity to evaluate their understanding of key texts in the literature and their ability to place these key texts in on-going academic debates. The presentation allows students to receive feedback on their group project from both the module convenor as well as their peers.
• Summative assessment is by a 4,000-word essay and a 3,000-word group project. The essay will require students to develop a deductive argument – based on either a methodological critique of existing literature or a carefully designed empirical analysis of particular cases. This will test students’ knowledge of concepts and theories in the study of informal institutions, and assess their ability to critically engage with existing academic work. The group project asks students to take a more inductive approach and apply theoretical ideas to explain “real world” political outcomes. This will test whether students are able to identify informal institutions, collect relevant primary and secondary data, and use existing analytical frameworks to explore how informal institutions have affected society and politics. Students will be grouped into groups of around four and allocated a specific case study. As a mechanism to help mitigate the free-rider problem, the group project will have to be developed as a wiki project on DUO.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One-item literature review of 1,500 words (formative feedback via proforma). Presentation of the group project to a discussion panel (formative feedback via proforma), undertaken prior to submission of the summative assignment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University