Routledge Handbook of Political Corruption, Paul M. Heywood, ed., Routledge, 2015.

This is a well-constructed, thought-provoking, and complete overview and

engagement of the corruption field, something that Routledge is deservedly
recognized for with its Handbooks. While the writing selections in places can be
quite dense and challenging, the fact of the matter is that corruption as a field of
study is more oriented to advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Thus,
the selections are both appropriate and likely to maintain relevance for the long
term. The book also takes some novel approaches that pay off in terms of
conceptual organization: it does not stay with the standard division of definitions
and cases but evolves beyond that to also include the vastly undervalued but
direly needed measurements and consequences. By fluidly but compellingly
fusing case studies into these broader rubrics the overall impact of the volume
increases for students and researchers alike. Finally a concluding section on new
directions takes on some fairly innovative studies of corruption that could in time
become a leading edge wave for future research within the discipline. Consequently,
students of corruption get both the foundation and the future in this one handy
volume. A welcome addition.