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Reposted by Tena Prelec

Liz David-Barrett @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social · Sep 5

New paper!

Q: Does State Capture Facilitate Strategic Corruption? www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A: Not necessarily. Even where states are deeply captured, supra-national and domestic institutions with oversight functions can create regulatory barriers

Does State Capture Facilitate Strategic Corruption?

Scholars have suggested that great powers seeking to engage in strategic corruption, particularly through corrosive capital, target countries where there are governance weaknesses. This article res...

www.tandfonline.com

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Sep 5

A blog I’ve written about the contested concept of Strategic Corruption - more to come (follow @soc-ace.bsky.social if you’d like to hear more!)

I’d like to thank @isrfoundation.bsky.social for their support for this project - wonderful foundation, pursuing a truly innovative approach to research.

Independent Social Research Foundation @isrfoundation.bsky.social · Sep 3

Strategic Corruption - A Useful Concept or a Catch-All?

Drawing on insights from a recent ISRF-funded workshop, @tenaprelec.bsky.social reflects on the affordances and limits of the concept of #StrategicCorruption.

#Corruption #InternationalRelations #Democracy

isrf.org/blog/strateg...

Strategic Corruption - A Useful Concept or a Catch-All?

Drawing on insights from a recent ISRF-funded workshop, Tena Prelec reflects on the affordances and limits of the concept of ‘strategic corruption’.

isrf.org

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Sep 5

*New & open access*
We draw on our book Indulging Kleptocracy, reflecting on the importance of networks - even more than states, we argue - in today’s global order.

@oxfordacademic.bsky.social
@jheathershaw.bsky.social
@britishacademy.bsky.social

journal.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/articles/13/...

Professional indulgences: the kleptocracy problem and the transformation of global politics

This article discusses the phenomenon of transnational kleptocracy and explains how kleptocrats and oligarchs have been welcomed in rule-of-law settings The paper summarises a large body of research,...

journal.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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John Heathershaw @jheathershaw.bsky.social · Sep 1

@tenaprelec.bsky.social Tom and I wrote this paper based on @oxunipress.bsky.social Indulging Kleptocracy for @britishacademy.bsky.social journal.

Our global future will be increasingly kleptocratic unless govts enforce their own laws.
journal.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/articles/13/...

Professional indulgences: the kleptocracy problem and the transformation of global politics

This article discusses the phenomenon of transnational kleptocracy and explains how kleptocrats and oligarchs have been welcomed in rule-of-law settings The paper summarises a large body of research,...

journal.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Sep 5

Great to see this paper out. Whatever sensitive topic one might tackle - whether it is war crimes, corruption or others - the phenomenon of secrecy in closed institutions is one that raises imp questions, esp. in (semi)authoritarian contexts. Congrats @lanabi.bsky.social @denisakost.bsky.social

Lanabi @lanabi.bsky.social · Aug 29

🚨⚖️🔍 New paper in Journal of Genocide Research with @denisakost.bsky.social & Timothy Waters we studied secrecy in Serbia’s war crimes trials.
📑Corpus of 164 judgements (1999–2019). Tried OCR+quant methods, but chaotic redactions made it impossible. So we wrote a descriptive, mixed-methods paper

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Holger Kiik @holgerkiik.bsky.social · Jun 20

💥Free online conference by the the Italian Institute for the Future.
I could only participate yesterday, but fascinating talks upcoming e.g. @miasmafactory.bsky.social, @tenaprelec.bsky.social, @jlmarti.bsky.social

www.instituteforthefuture.it/frontiers-of...
#philsky #futurestudies #polisky

Frontiers of Politics: Transforming Democracies in the Digital Communication Age – June 19-20 – Italian Institute for the Future

www.instituteforthefuture.it

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GEO-POWER-EU @geopower-eu.bsky.social · Jun 11

📢 On 20 May, Dr. @tenaprelec.bsky.social & Dr. @sonjasg.bsky.social presented at the 🇪🇺 Parliament Library, sharing insights from Indulging Kleptocracy and research from #GEOPOWEREU on corrosive capital.

🔗 Read more: bit.ly/45O7iiP

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John Heathershaw @jheathershaw.bsky.social · May 28

Ditto. I’d like to make sure my research is “in sync” with Trump administration so I’m still able to visit the US, but I’m not sure whether he wants to use our book as a how-to guide for indulging kleptocrats.
@tenaprelec.bsky.social

Brian Taylor @bdtaylor-su.bsky.social · May 28

Secretary McMahon, I'd like to make sure my Russian politics research is "in sync" with "what the administration is trying to accomplish," but I'm having a hard time figuring out what that is. Is Putin a very good friend who wants to look good and wants peace, or has he gone crazy? Please advise.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · May 28

Linda McMahon: "Universities should continue to be able to do research as long as they're abiding by the laws and in sync, I think, with the administration and what the administration is trying to accomplish."

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Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) @biepag.bsky.social · May 7

🔊Listen to the ep.15 of
🎙️Seriously Balkans - The #BiEPAGtalks

🔹What the new German Government means for the Balkans

Host:
@fbieber.bsky.social
Guests:
Frauke Seebass, Fellow at @swp-berlin.org & Researcher @dgap.org
Adnan Ćeramagić, Senior Analyst, ESI

🎧 tinyurl.com/5n9y55u8

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · May 17

Full house - and a great discussion - at yesterday’s launch event of ThinkEurope in Ljubljana. I represented @cas-see-uniri.bsky.social bringing in some @geopower-eu.bsky.social research into the mix. Good luck to our friends Sabina Lange and Zoran Nechev with this new venture

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · May 15

Next week in the European Parliament!

We’re bringing the fight against enabling to the heart of 🇪🇺

@agillies.bsky.social on enabler networks
@sonjasg.bsky.social on corrosive capital
and your faithful trio on Indulging Kleptocracy

Register: ep-events.secure.europarl.europa.eu/greensefa/ev...

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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · May 1

📽️ Watch Helen, our Senior Legal Researcher, talking about the findings of our “Gatekeepers, enablers or technicians?” report, which unpacks the different labels used to describe the role of UK lawyers in combatting #kleptocracy, #statecapture and grand #corruption.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVix...

Helen Taylor introduces Spotlight's "Gatekeepers, enablers or technicians?" report

YouTube video by Spotlight on Corruption

www.youtube.com

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John Heathershaw @jheathershaw.bsky.social · May 7

Last week, the Indulging Kleptocracy tour went to Geneva to brief a special session of the UN on illicit finance and Paris to speak to the OCED on the book. Thanks to hosts and fellow speakers.
unctad.org/meeting/spec...

@tenaprelec.bsky.social
@oxfordacademic.bsky.social
@cais-exeter.bsky.social

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Center for Advanced Studies - South East Europe @cas-see-uniri.bsky.social · May 13

📚 BOOK LAUNCH & PANEL | 20 May, 12:30h, European Parliament Library
‘Indulging Kleptocracy’ and The Battle Against Transnational Enabling
📍 REGISTRATION: ep-events.secure.europarl.europa.eu/.../eve.../e...

ep-events.secure.europarl.europa.eu

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Apr 23

Glad to share that the 1st MSCA PF app I’ve supported as supervisor has been successful. Looking for more amazing researchers to join our growing team @cas-see-uniri-bsky.social

Seed funding available for a pre-application workshop taking place on 24-26/06.

More about my research interests here ⬇️

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Apr 23

Looking to apply for a postdoc on corruption, authoritarianism, EU (non) enlargement and other fun topics… and you want to do it while sipping your favourite beverage by the seaside?

Come work with me in Rijeka 🇭🇷 uniri.hr/en/vijesti/m...

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Rijeka 2025. | UNIRI

The University of Rijeka (UNIRI), a modern European University, is looking for motivated postdoctoral researchers (Postdocs) for the Marie-Skłodowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA PF)…

uniri.hr

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Apr 23

Thank you so much for reading our book! Love your writing @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com

Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · Apr 22

oh! by the way! got a review/essay in Foreign Policy, on Indulging Kleptocracy and the many (many) people who help kleptocrats acquire money, status, networks and legitimacy in the west: foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/18/k...

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Mar 28

As the US retreats from #anticorruption, the UK and EU need to act together, aligning approaches on enablers, legal accountability & systemic reforms. This op-ed by @jheathershaw.bsky.social, Tom Mayne and I is a first step in joining those dots. More to come. national.thelead.uk/p/time-to-st...

Time to stop indulging kleptocrats: The UK and EU must step up as America steps back

Kleptocracy isn’t some exotic export. It’s made here too. Tena Prelec, John Heathershaw and Tom Mayne write as their new book is published.

national.thelead.uk

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Governance & Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE) @giace.bsky.social · Mar 26

Liz challenged the over-reliance on AML frameworks like FATF standards which often fail when kleptocrats rewrite laws,block investigations, or legalise corruption.

Her message: "We often talk about ‘moving beyond compliance’, but I think we can do better and aim for avoiding complicity."

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Florian Bieber @fbieber.bsky.social · Mar 19

Increasing evidence that the Serbian government used a sound weapon against protesters (during 15 minutes of silence!) to create a mass panic. EU should demand an investigation. The use of repressive tools against peaceful protesters is a serious escalation & deliberate attempt to harm citizens.

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Mar 20

Based on the work done with fab colleagues
@csc-barrington.bsky.social @ggarrod.bsky.social & Pepe Tonin.

Read also Robert & Georgia's earlier paper that takes a deep dive into the comments analysis they've done, challenging the default justifications by lawyers www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gate...

www.sussex.ac.uk

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Mar 20

Why do lawyers decide to take on high-risk clients? What shapes their choices? Our research, hosted by @appgonacrt.bsky.social in Parliament this week, tackles these questions - read the @spotlightcorruption.org report here: www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/gatek...

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Gresa Hasa @gresahasa.bsky.social · Mar 14

This is the atmosphere in #Serbia ahead of the protest scheduled for 16:00. In #Belgrade, citizens greeted students marching from across the country toward the capital for what is expected to be the largest demonstration in history.

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KickBack - The Global Anticorruption Podcast @kickbackgap.bsky.social · Mar 13

🎙️ New #Kickback episode! @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social & Kevin Davis discuss Trump’s suspension of the FCPA & its impact on U.S. firms, global corruption, & regulation. What’s next for anti-bribery efforts?

🔗 SoundCloud: bit.ly/Soundcloudep128
🔗 Spotify: bit.ly/SpotifyEp128

#FCPA #AntiCorruption

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Tena Prelec @tenaprelec.bsky.social · Mar 14

Make no mistake: this is not just about a collapsed railway canopy. It’s about a deeply corrupt system sustained by #corrosivecapital and #kleptocracy. @sonjasg.bsky.social and I break it down in our latest @biepag.bsky.social blog. www.biepag.eu/blog/serbias...

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