Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Arts

Program

Education

Supervisor

Bishop, Pam

2nd Supervisor

Bauman-Buffone, Cheryl

Co-Supervisor

Abstract

Corruption, such as bribery, exists in varying degrees in many countries around the globe. In some of them, it has become systemic due to a large proportion of the population engaging in it and accepting it as the normal way of solving daily issues. In some countries (e.g., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine), it is widely perceived by the general public as one of the biggest problems in education.

This research examines the existing scholarly literature on bribery, the most visible type of corruption, in the former Soviet Socialist Republics’ higher education space, focusing on social and economic reasons and common manifestations, and illuminating possible solutions that may curb the phenomenon. Those republics – also known as post-Soviet countries – are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan (Edele, 2018). Most of these countries are mentioned frequently in the existing literature pertaining to higher education corruption. By reviewing 19 empirical studies from the existing literature, this qualitative study employs systematic literature review as the method of data collection. To explain the roots of the issue and the consequent challenges of the solution, this study draws upon collective action theory by Mancur Olson (1965). Collective action theory concerns certain societal issues being collective ones and requiring collective action to be solved. The exhaustive literature review has revealed that in most of the post-Soviet states, a majority of the people involved in higher education sector find a way to justify their illicit conducts, which is why the reduction of the extent of higher education bribery might be much more complicated than policies dictate it to be.

Summary for Lay Audience

Corruption has several types, one of which is bribery, and it exists to different extents in a number of countries in the world. In some of these countries, it has taken a systemic form because a majority of the people have engaged in it for a long time and accepted it as the normal way of dealing with daily issues. The general public in various countries (e.g., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine) consider corruption to be one of the biggest problems in education.

This study looks into the existing literature on bribery, which is the most common and obvious type of corruption, in the higher education setting of the former Soviet Socialist Republics. The focus of this research has been on understanding social and economic reasons and common ways in which bribery occurs in higher education in these countries, along with discovering possible solutions for the phenomenon. Those republics – also known as post-Soviet countries – are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan (Edele, 2018). Most of these republics are often mentioned in the existing literature related to higher education corruption. A systematic literature review has been conducted by analysing 19 empirical studies from the existing literature. To identify the roots of the problem and the resulting difficulties of the solution, this study uses collective action theory by Mancur Olson (1965). Collective action theory focuses on certain societal issues and discusses how they can be collective problems that require collective action to be solved. The systematic review of the post-Soviet literature has shown that most of the people involved in higher education sector find a way to justify their illicit conducts. This makes it more difficult to reduce the level of higher education bribery as compared to what policies describe.

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