A failure of governmentality: why Transparency International underestimated corruption in Ben Ali’s Tunisia.

This article critiques the Foucauldian approach to governance indicators. Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) underestimated Tunisian corruption levels under President Ben Ali: his regime was highly corrupt but foreign investors were less affected. CPI methodology me...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Third World Quarterly Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 467 - 483
Autor principal: Baumann, Hannes
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Feb2017
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:This article critiques the Foucauldian approach to governance indicators. Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) underestimated Tunisian corruption levels under President Ben Ali: his regime was highly corrupt but foreign investors were less affected. CPI methodology meant it reflected primarily the needs of foreign investors. The Foucauldian approach specifically excludes analysis of governance indicators’ methodologies. It thus fails to demonstrate the effectiveness of governance indicators as a technology of government, and it fails to show how the production of the CPI is embedded in a wider global political economy.