The Sociology of Local Political Corruption in Cities
Open AccessEvidence of political corruption is uncovered with enough frequency that its existence is no longer surprising to the American public. In fact, while the standard reaction to these incidents is outrage and denouncement, politically corrupt behavior at all levels of government is pervasive enough so that its presence is actually expected. While various disciplines within the social science universe have investigated and commented on this trend in various capacities, there is a conspicuous absence of urban sociological literature and analysis into political corruption. This oversight is a curious one, considering that the heightened proclivity towards political corruption in cities fits squarely within the purview of urban sociologists. The nature and detriment of political corruption has significant influences on the well being of city residents and social institutions, rendering the phenomenon of corruption academically relevant and sociologically significant. The research presented here calls attention to the importance of scholarly investigations into the nature and outcomes of political corruption, especially at the local level, and especially in cities. Further, this commentary singles out the emerging `social harm' school of criminological and sociological investigations as a particularly useful method for appreciating the relevance and significance of political corruption. Although the push for including the social harm perspective in more traditional scholarly analysis isin its early years, the utility of this approach can have significant implications for the future of not only academic research, but also for the public's appreciation for the seriousness of the issue of corruption.This paper first introduces the concept of political corruption through its popular and academic definitions, and asserts its standing as a social phenomenon through evidence of its frequency as well as through the disastrous consequences of corruption on public's trust and social well being. The social outcomes of corruption are welldocumented and most often researched at the national level, where comparative quantitative data is more prone to exist that would allow for inferential or causal analysis. While past research into political corruption at the local level serves as valuable historical references, the largely anecdotal nature of this specific body of work fails to produce empirical data appropriate for comparative analysis between cities - which are, as noted, critical arenas for scholarly investigations into political corruption. Additionally, this work has failed to compel future generations of academics to study political corruption, despite the arguably increased relevance of this phenomenon. The conclusion of this commentary offers an example of how local political corruption research can be conducted in a way that makes this issue more relevant for urban sociologists. Patterns of corrupt behavior as well as resulting social harms are drawn from one major metropolitan newspaper to illustrate a more productive direction for future research, one that highlights the vulnerabilities and consequences of corrupt behavior. The relevance of this research is contextualized in terms of its impact on public policy as well as civic engagement and its applicability for social scientists, policy makers, and the general public.
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