RC20 - Political Finance and Political Corruption

On 10 November 2025, the IPSA Research Committee on Political Finance and Political Corruption (RC20) held a highly successful virtual roundtable, “Corruption Research at a Crossroads: Conceptual, Data, and Measurement Challenges and Solutions,” to mark World Science Day for Peace and Development. The event combined keynote impulses with an open debate format and attracted strong participation from RC20 members, who contributed actively throughout the two-hour session. Under the moderation of Giovanna Rodríguez Garcia, the panel—featuring Paulina Alvarado Goldman, Agnes Batory, Markus Pohlmann, and Joseph Pozsgai-Alvarez—sparked a rich and interdisciplinary discussion on the conceptual, data, and measurement challenges that continue to shape corruption research. Participants reflected on issues such as conceptual ambiguities, biased and incomplete data, cross-country comparability, and the ethical implications of new methods and tools. RC20 members played a central role in this debate, sharing experiences from different regions and methodological traditions, which made the exchange particularly valuable and intellectually fruitful. 

The roundtable not only confirmed the relevance of a quanti–quali dialogue in corruption research, but also generated concrete ideas for cross-disciplinary collaboration and a draft roadmap for improving data practices, measurement standards, and ethical frameworks in the field. Overall, it was a highly productive activity that strengthened the RC20 community and opened new avenues for future joint work. For those who were unable to attend—or who wish to revisit the discussion—the recording of the roundtable is available here.