The stagnation of anti-corruption studies on Russia: what should be done to reverse the situation?

This article discusses the state of the academic literature on anti-corruption in Russia, exploring which aspects have been neglected so far, and proposing new research focuses. In the works produced by both local and international scholars, the question of anti-corruption is delinked from the question of democracy. However, the specificities of the Russian context suggest that a possible connection between these two ideas deserves more attention. The government has created a discourse that emphasizes the need for Russia to develop its own democracy, warning against the mere imposition of western models. This idea is also supported by public opinion. The official discourse also highlights the necessity to develop local instruments to counteract corruption, avoiding external interferences. However, the way these ideas could have been perceived and translated by civil society actors has not yet been investigated. Studies have paid little attention to the practices that constitute the everyday work carried out by anti-corruption organizations. This article suggests that scholars should research the possible inconsistencies generated by the use of informal practices at the micro level, and investigate whether these clash with the principles of democracy and anti-corruption promoted by such organizations. The role of more-institutionalized organizations is another aspect that deserves more attention. During recent years, scholars have discussed the increasing importance of informal associations. However, the impact of this new trend on organizations engaged in anti-corruption has not been analyzed. Researchers should try to detect how these are engaged in the transformation taking place within society, and whether they struggle to position in this context. The article also remarks on the importance to overcome the boundaries set by the post-Soviet label, both spatially and epistemologically. Local meanings and experiences should be investigated, trying to overcome the western models at the base of the international discourse. In this process, a crucial role is played by local social science scholars, whose inside knowledge can contribute significantly to studying and thereby revising the current state of stagnation.

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