Corporate Crime and Systemic Corruption in Brazil

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Markus Pohlmann, since 9/2022
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Criminology ; Political Science ; Sociological Theory ; Criminal Law
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 404991678

The purpose of this research project is to identify and explain the emerged pattern of corporate crime and political corruption in Brazil. For that, we are using a methodological approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze sources such as interviews and official records related to four large corruption and illegal electoral financing cases in Brazil. Using a multi-level framework of institutional analysis, we are mapping key changes in the setting of the Brazilian justice system and relating them to organizational forms of misconduct by companies and political parties, as well as pinpointing the mindsets of both main groups: the perpetrators and law enforcers. Our general question targets the analysis of corruption practices in order to elucidate (1) how does the system of economic and political corruption operate? (2) how successful have the institutional and organizational rules been in countering corruption and organizational crime? (3) which role is the anti-corruption regime playing related to the changes of corruption patterns on the level of political and economic organizations, as well as of the collective mindsets? Since the project started, we have been able to partially accomplish the general objective of identifying and explaining the emerged pattern of corporate crime and political corruption in Brazil. To continue the promising research agenda, which was impaired due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing strategies of the team recommend an extension of this endeavor supported by the DFG for another two years.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Brazil
• Partner Organisation: Fundaçao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo - FAPESP
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Wagner Pralon Mancuso
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Dr. Elizangela Valarini, until 8/2022