Reconsidering the Gender - Corruption Link: Policy Implications and Recommendations

Abstract

Gender and corruption are explicitly linked. Still, we do not have any clear evidence about the causality of the relationship which has led to the creation of some myths in the academic and practical sphere, in particular in the field of anti-corruption. We claim that new research foci are needed which critically engage with some of the most problematic assumptions of the gender-corruption nexus and starts to debunk these myths and rethink the gender-corruption link. While some studies found men to be more corrupt and others find no difference, there is hardly any evidence that women are more corrupt than men, as long as sanctions can be expected. The question posed by many researchers has been whether women’s participation in the public domain reduces corruption, or whether the causation runs counter: where there is less corruption, there are more opportunities for women to enter politics and business in greater numbers. While, new evidence supports the latter, it is important to note the misguided approach of treating women as a homogenous bloc when discussing their attitudes towards risk aversion or risk friendliness. This highlights the limitations of earlier studies, which came short of using representative samples of women and men. In going beyond these myths, our panel proposes some specific avenues for further research on the topic. For instance, researchers and practitioners have to recognize the intersections of gender with different dimensions such as sexuality and identity, educational backgrounds, socio-economic class, stereotypes as well as culture and context.

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