Choose a problem in the following three areas only, which we have covered throughout this course:
(1) corruption
(2) conflict/war
(3) agriculture/land reform
(1) First, specify clearly what your problem is and whether you are looking at it from a local, national (or country), or international point of view. You can pick any locality or country excluding the UAE.
(2) Then, choose a contemporary social movement or interest group which aims to solve the problem you described in the previous part. Possible examples include the Indian Farmers Movement, the Land Back movement, the UN Global Compact Anti-Corruption Working Group, or SOS Mediterranee in Europe (these are suggestions only, you can choose others which are not on this list).
(3) Outline how the social movement or interest group contributes (or does not contribute) to solving the problem you have identified. In particular, you should discuss the tactics/methods employed by the social movement or interest group, their sources of power, and how they interact with transnational networks.
(4) Finally, suggest and justify two additional approaches that the social movement or interest group can take in order to tackle the problem you identified.
(5) Make sure you use the readings and concepts covered in the class.
In answering these questions, you should combine details from the contemporary campaign you have chosen with insights from the research and theory we have discussed in the course. Make sure you refer to specific readings from the course which are relevant for your argument.
Interpret the causal role of ideas, identity, norms, and repertoires in determining political and social outcomes over time.
Apply rational choice theory to explain individual and collective political decisions.
Identify and analyze structural factors that help explain political and social outcomes over time, including the causes of degradation in institutions.
Identify the democratic elements of a particular society and explain the causes of liberalization, transition, and/or consolidation.
Define and utilize theory to explain political behaviors of the past, present and future.
Full Answer Section
- State Capture: Powerful individuals and business interests exert undue influence over policy-making and regulatory frameworks to benefit themselves, often at the expense of the public good. This can involve bribery of officials, manipulation of legal processes, and the creation of monopolies or oligopolies.
- Embezzlement and Misappropriation of Public Funds: Large-scale theft and misuse of public funds through inflated contracts, fictitious projects, and outright embezzlement are recurring issues, hindering the delivery of essential public services and undermining development efforts.
- Weak Institutional Oversight: While Kenya has anti-corruption institutions, their effectiveness is often hampered by political interference, inadequate funding, and a lack of independence. This allows corrupt practices to persist with limited accountability.
This problem operates at the national level, impacting governance, economic development, social equity, and the rule of law across the entire country.
(2) Chosen Social Movement/Interest Group: Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya)
I have chosen Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya) as the contemporary interest group aiming to solve the problem of corruption in Kenya. TI-Kenya is the local chapter of the global Transparency International movement, which works to combat corruption worldwide.
(3) Contribution of TI-Kenya to Solving the Problem
TI-Kenya contributes to addressing corruption in Kenya through various tactics and methods:
- Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns: TI-Kenya conducts public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the detrimental effects of corruption and to mobilize public opinion against it. They publish reports, issue press statements, and engage with the media to highlight instances of corruption and advocate for stronger anti-corruption measures. This aligns with the concept of norm diffusion, attempting to establish and strengthen anti-corruption norms within Kenyan society (Finnemore & Sikkink, 1998). By framing corruption as a societal ill and promoting transparency and accountability as desirable norms, they aim to influence public discourse and political will.
- Research and Monitoring: TI-Kenya conducts research on corruption trends, analyzes legal and policy frameworks related to anti-corruption, and monitors the performance of anti-corruption agencies. Their reports provide evidence-based analysis that can be used to inform policy recommendations and hold institutions accountable. This can be seen as an attempt to address information asymmetry, a structural factor that can enable corruption by providing citizens and policymakers with the data needed to understand the scale and nature of the problem (North, 1990).
- Legal Aid and Citizen Empowerment: TI-Kenya provides legal aid and support to victims of corruption and empowers citizens to demand accountability from public officials. They may offer training on how to report corruption and navigate legal channels. This tactic aims to increase the repertoires of contention available to ordinary citizens in challenging corruption (Tilly & Tarrow, 2015). By providing tools and knowledge, they seek to shift the power balance and enable greater citizen participation in anti-corruption efforts.
- Engagement with Institutions: TI-Kenya engages with government agencies, parliamentary committees, and other relevant institutions to advocate for policy reforms and the strengthening of anti-corruption mechanisms. They participate in consultations and provide expert advice based on their research and experience. This reflects an attempt to influence the rules of the game at the institutional level, a key aspect of addressing structural causes of corruption (O'Donnell, 1996).
- International Networking: As part of the global Transparency International network, TI-Kenya benefits from transnational connections. They can draw on international best practices, access global research and resources, and participate in international advocacy efforts. This allows them to leverage the power of transnational advocacy networks (Keck & Sikkink, 1998) to exert pressure on the Kenyan government and hold international actors accountable for their role in facilitating corruption (e.g., through illicit financial flows).
However, TI-Kenya faces significant challenges and its contribution is not without limitations:
- Limited Enforcement Power: As a civil society organization, TI-Kenya lacks the legal authority to directly investigate or prosecute corruption cases. Their power primarily lies in advocacy, research, and public mobilization.
- Political Resistance: Efforts to combat corruption often face strong resistance from powerful individuals and networks who benefit from the status quo. This can limit the impact of TI-Kenya's advocacy and recommendations.
- Resource Constraints: Like many NGOs, TI-Kenya operates with limited resources, which can constrain the scale and scope of their activities.
(4) Additional Approaches for TI-Kenya
Here are two additional approaches that TI-Kenya could take to further tackle corruption in Kenya:
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Strengthening Grassroots Mobilization and Citizen Action: While TI-Kenya engages in public awareness, they could significantly deepen their grassroots mobilization efforts. This could involve:
- Establishing local anti-corruption chapters or networks: Empowering communities to identify and address corruption issues at the local level. This would involve providing training, resources, and platforms for citizens to collectively demand accountability from local officials and participate in monitoring local governance. This approach aligns with social movement theory, emphasizing the importance of collective action and resource mobilization at the grassroots level to exert pressure on power holders (McAdam, McCarthy, & Zald, 1996). By building a strong base of informed and active citizens, TI-Kenya could create a more powerful and sustained movement for change.
- Utilizing digital platforms for citizen reporting and monitoring: Creating secure and user-friendly digital platforms (e.g., mobile apps, online portals) where citizens can anonymously report instances of corruption and track the progress of reported cases. This could enhance transparency, provide valuable data for TI-Kenya's research, and empower citizens to act as watchdogs. This leverages the power of technology to overcome information barriers and facilitate collective action, a key aspect of contemporary social movements.
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Focusing on Strategic Litigation and Legal Challenges: While TI-Kenya provides some legal aid, they could adopt a more proactive and strategic approach to litigation. This could involve:
- Identifying and supporting strategic test cases: Selecting high-impact corruption cases with the potential to set legal precedents and strengthen anti-corruption laws and their enforcement. This would require building partnerships with pro-bono lawyers and legal experts.
- Public interest litigation: Initiating or supporting public interest lawsuits to challenge corrupt government decisions, demand transparency in procurement processes, and hold public officials accountable for breaches of anti-corruption laws. This approach directly engages with the legal system, aiming to create tangible legal consequences for corrupt behavior and strengthen the rule of law, a fundamental structural factor in combating corruption (Linz & Stepan, 1996). By strategically using the legal system, TI-Kenya could move beyond advocacy and directly challenge corrupt practices and the impunity of perpetrators.
(5) Use of Readings and Concepts
As indicated throughout the answer, I have incorporated several concepts and referenced relevant readings from the course:
- Norm Diffusion (Finnemore & Sikkink, 1998): Used to analyze TI-Kenya's advocacy and awareness campaigns aimed at establishing anti-corruption norms.
- Information Asymmetry (North, 1990): Applied to understand how TI-Kenya's research and monitoring efforts aim to address a structural enabler of corruption.
- Repertoires of Contention (Tilly & Tarrow, 2015): Used to analyze how TI-Kenya's legal aid and citizen empowerment initiatives expand the ways citizens can challenge corruption.
- Rules of the Game (O'Donnell, 1996): Applied to TI-Kenya's engagement with institutions to advocate for policy reforms.
- Transnational Advocacy Networks (Keck & Sikkink, 1998): Used to understand how TI-Kenya leverages its international connections.
- Social Movement Theory (McAdam, McCarthy, & Zald, 1996): Used to justify the additional approach of strengthening grassroots mobilization.
- Rule of Law (Linz & Stepan, 1996): Used to justify the additional approach of focusing on strategic litigation.
By combining details about TI-Kenya's contemporary campaign with these theoretical insights, I have aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of their contribution to solving corruption in Kenya and suggested theoretically informed additional approaches.