Call for Chapter Proposals

There is a growing consensus among researchers that corruption, in all its complexity, is best studied through an interdisciplinary approach, in order to provide an understanding reflective of the reality on ground. The failure of the “blueprint”/one-size-fits-all approach to corruption is evidenced by the continued daily corruption scandals across the world. It highlights that explanatory factors for the occurrence and combatting of corruption have been insufficient thus far. Therefore, we need alternative or additional explanations that describe, explain, predict and combat corruption from a more context-, regional-specific perspective and that are applicable for individual cases and different cultures.

The Middle East* in particular is a region that suffers from corruption and informal practices, which not only hinder development processes but also impede necessary political, economic and social improvements. In spite of this, the region remains underexplored and needs more attention in the literature and research on corruption.

Addressing this gap researchers and practitioners are invited to contribute individual chapters to our book project “Corruption and Informal Practices in the Middle East.” The chapters should focus on

1. the definitions, types and concepts of corruption as well as related informal, illegal practices (such as favouritism, tribalism, patronage)

2. the cultural context including social norms, values and attitudes

3. causes, consequences, mechanisms of corrupt practices

4. formal and (informal) government attempts at curbing corruption versus the reality on the ground

We are interested in articles from different academic disciplines, theoretical, empirical and methodological approaches from different regions and countries in the Middle East. The book proposes to combine alternative perspectives that can be used for innovative analysis and solution strategies at the individual- (e.g. citizens, political leaders), institutional (e.g. political parties, organizations, institutions) and national – levels. The target audience of the book includes academics across disciplines, practitioners (such as political advisors, public officials, politicians) and civil society organizations.

*More precisely, the focus should be on the MENA-region including Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Ethiopia and Sudan.

Researchers are invited to submit a chapter proposal (1-2 pages) clearly explaining the aim and concerns of their proposed contributions, together with a brief biography. The deadline for proposal submission is 31st December, 2017. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by January 07, 2018 about the status of their proposals along with chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by 30th April, 2018. The manuscript will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this book. The publication is anticipated to be released by the end of 2018. Based on the quality of the submissions, we are planning to publish the book either with Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, or Palgrave Macmillan.

31st December, 2017: Proposal Submission Deadline

7th January, 2018: Notification of Acceptance

30th April, 2018: Full Chapter Submission

1st July, 2018: Review Results Returned

15th August, 2018: Final Chapter Submission

If you are interested, please send chapter proposals until December 31 to:

Ina Kubbe, Tel Aviv University: inakubbe@post.tau.ac.il

Aiysha Varraich, University of Gothenburg: aiysha.varraich@pol.gu.se