Bottom-up Accountability: Addressing Citizen Engagement and its Challenges in the Battle Against Corruption

Abstract

There is no doubt about the crucial role of civil society in anti-corruption efforts. Serving as a vigilant overseer, civil society assumes the critical role of demanding accountability, posing pertinent questions, and disseminating crucial information regarding the performance of governmental bodies. In essence, it acts as an agent to promote transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct within governance. However, there remains a need to further explore the empirical and theoretical dimensions of the relationship between social and societal accountability and effective anti-corruption measures. This panel aims to broaden the discussion regarding the efforts of concerned citizens, civil society organizations, whistle-blowers, and the media, addressing their pivotal roles and inherent limitations in fighting corruption, fostering accountability, and advocating for transparency and good governance. By bringing together scholars and researchers from various fields, this panel welcomes fresh and innovative approaches that delve into the contributions of civic action to mitigate corruption and enhance citizen participation.

Title	Details
Citizens’ Initiatives to Curb Political Corruption: The Case of Citizen Observatories in Colombia	View Paper Details
What happens after the anti-corruption franchising ends? The opposite trajectories of former Transparency International chapters in Brazil and Uruguay	View Paper Details
The logic of bottom-up accountability: Experimental evidence from civil society leaders in Peru	View Paper Details
Layers of repression and civic efforts against corruption: unveiling systemic constraints on societal accountability	View Paper Details
Fighting corruption through visuals and satire: examples of two online protest actions from South Asia	View Paper Details