CERC Public Seminar: 'Corruption In Post-Communist Europe'

Tuesday 29 May, 1:00-2:00pm
at Room 212, Level 2, 234 Queensberry Street, The University of Melbourne

presented by

A/Prof Robert Zuzowski

(Fellow, Contemporary Europe Research Centre, University of Melbourne)

Abstract

Nowadays hardly anyone discusses corruption as a moral problem. Most commentators perceive it as a technical one to be solved by technical means only like, say, solving a problem of high car accidents rate. Nobody, or almost nobody, see it as something having to do with morals or ethics as well. This is a strange phenomenon because corruption is intrinsically linked to moral ideas of fairness, equity and justice. It is the argument of this paper that to curb corruption in post-communist Europe a comprehensive or total approach to it is essential.

Biography

Before settling in Australia in 2006 Robert Zuzowski was based at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johanesburg South Africa. He has taught widely on matters related to Poland and the other countries of formerly communist Europe. He holds a PhD from La Trobe University and a Masters degree from the Australian National University.

Robert Zuzowski's currrent research projects concern nationalism and Marxism in Eastern Europe, and corruption in post-Communist Europe as a political, economic and a moral problem.

Publications by Robert Zuzowski include:

"Nationalism and Marxism in Eastern Europe" Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies 33.1 (April 2006): p71(10)

"Ends, means and international relations" East European Quarterly 40.1 (Spring 2006): p1(23)

"Corruption in post-communist Europe: immorality breeds poverty" The Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies 30.1 (Spring 2005): p9(32)

"Corruption in Eastern Europe" South African Journal of International Affairs 11.2 (Winter 2004): p129(14)

"Are the Czechs Prague-matic?" East European Quarterly 33.4 (Winter 1999)

Political change in Eastern Europe since 1989 : prospects for liberal democracy and a market economy Westport, Conn. : Praeger, 1998

Political dissent and opposition in Poland : the Workers' Defense Committee "KOR" Westport, Conn. : Praeger, 1998

Komitet Samoobrony Spolecznej KOR: studium dysydentyzmu i opozycji politycznej w Polsce (Wroclaw: Zaklad Narodowy im. Ossolinskich, 1996)