The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Malin Åkerström

Malin Åkerström

Professor emerita

Malin Åkerström

The etiquette of bribes–learning, teaching and knowing

Author

  • Joakim Thelander
  • Malin Åkerström

Summary, in English

How are bribes supposed to be given or taken? In this article, we study how individuals from countries with low tolerance of corruption learn, teach others and present themselves as knowledgeable about the etiquette of bribes. This involves the social practices of everyday corruption and petty bribes when working as ’strangers’ in countries where such exchanges are more common. Previous interviews on bribery with Swedish and Danish aid workers, and Swedish representatives from adoption organizations, were searched for descriptions of giving, receiving and avoiding petty bribes. We argue that an appreciation of the etiquette of bribes is important for understanding the social practices of giving and/or taking bribes. Such an etiquette is not ‘random’ but addresses and resolves practical and interactional concerns for the actors involved in those exchanges.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2022

Language

English

Pages

231-246

Publication/Series

Nordic Journal of Criminology

Volume

23

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Routledge

Topic

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Keywords

  • bribes
  • corruption
  • Etiquette
  • interviews
  • practices

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2578-983X