Focus and Scope

The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Studies (IACS) is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing rigorous and interdisciplinary scholarship on corruption, anti-corruption, integrity, transparency, accountability, and governance, with a primary focus on Indonesia and relevant comparative and international contexts.

The journal examines corruption as a complex legal, political, economic, institutional, technological, and social phenomenon. IACS seeks to advance understanding of the causes, forms, consequences, prevention, detection, investigation, and enforcement of corruption, as well as the effectiveness of institutional and policy responses to corruption.

The journal welcomes theoretical, doctrinal, empirical, comparative, socio-legal, and interdisciplinary research that contributes to the development of anti-corruption scholarship and practice. Particular emphasis is placed on research that connects academic analysis with evidence-based policy development, institutional reform, and strategies for strengthening integrity and accountable governance.

Areas of Focus

IACS welcomes original research addressing, but not limited to, the following areas:

1. Corruption Theory and Research

  • Theories and conceptual approaches to corruption;

  • Causes, drivers, and determinants of corruption;

  • Forms and typologies of corruption;

  • Grand corruption, petty corruption, political corruption, and bureaucratic corruption;

  • Corruption networks and organized forms of corruption;

  • Rent-seeking, patronage, clientelism, and state capture;

  • Corruption risks and institutional vulnerabilities; and

  • Emerging trends in corruption research.

2. Anti-Corruption Law and Legal Reform

  • Anti-corruption legislation and regulatory frameworks;

  • Criminalization of corruption and related offenses;

  • Legal reform and anti-corruption strategies;

  • Investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of corruption cases;

  • Asset recovery and confiscation;

  • Illicit enrichment and unexplained wealth;

  • Corporate liability and corruption;

  • Public and private sector bribery;

  • Whistleblower and witness protection;

  • Judicial independence and anti-corruption enforcement; and

  • International and transnational anti-corruption law.

3. Anti-Corruption Institutions and Governance

  • Anti-corruption agencies and commissions;

  • Courts, prosecutors, police, auditors, and other enforcement institutions;

  • Institutional integrity and accountability;

  • Public sector ethics and integrity systems;

  • Regulatory governance and institutional oversight;

  • Decentralization and corruption risks;

  • Local government integrity;

  • Public accountability and transparency mechanisms; and

  • Institutional approaches to corruption prevention.

4. Public Policy and Anti-Corruption Strategies

  • National and sectoral anti-corruption policies;

  • Evaluation of anti-corruption programs;

  • Prevention, detection, and enforcement strategies;

  • Integrity policies and compliance systems;

  • Public sector reform;

  • Regulatory and administrative reform;

  • Anti-corruption action plans;

  • Evidence-based anti-corruption policy; and

  • Policy implementation and institutional effectiveness.

5. Political Corruption and Democratic Governance

  • Electoral corruption and political finance;

  • Vote buying and electoral integrity;

  • Political patronage and clientelism;

  • Corruption and democratic institutions;

  • Political accountability;

  • State capture and elite networks;

  • Corruption and public trust;

  • Corruption and political legitimacy; and

  • Anti-corruption reform and democratic resilience.

6. Economics and Financial Dimensions of Corruption

  • Economic costs of corruption;

  • Corruption and economic development;

  • Public financial management and fiscal integrity;

  • Public procurement and procurement fraud;

  • Financial transparency and accountability;

  • Money laundering and illicit financial flows;

  • Beneficial ownership transparency;

  • Tax-related corruption;

  • Corruption and investment;

  • Corruption and inequality; and

  • Corruption, poverty, and socioeconomic development.

7. Technology, Digital Governance, and Transparency

  • Technology-based anti-corruption initiatives;

  • Digital government and e-governance;

  • Open government and open data;

  • Digital transparency and accountability;

  • Artificial intelligence and corruption prevention;

  • Data analytics and corruption risk detection;

  • Digital public procurement;

  • Financial technology and anti-corruption;

  • Blockchain and institutional transparency; and

  • Cyber-related risks affecting integrity and public accountability.

8. Society, Culture, and Behavioral Dimensions

  • Social and cultural determinants of corruption;

  • Public attitudes toward corruption;

  • Corruption tolerance and normalization;

  • Behavioral approaches to corruption prevention;

  • Civic engagement and public participation;

  • Civil society and anti-corruption movements;

  • Media and investigative journalism;

  • Education and anti-corruption awareness; and

  • Social accountability and community-based monitoring.

9. Corruption and Human Rights

  • Corruption and human rights;

  • Corruption and access to justice;

  • Corruption and discrimination;

  • Corruption and social inequality;

  • Corruption and access to public services;

  • Corruption and vulnerable populations;

  • Human rights-based approaches to anti-corruption; and

  • Accountability for corruption-related rights violations.

10. Sectoral Corruption Studies

The journal welcomes research examining corruption risks and anti-corruption measures in specific sectors, including:

  • health;

  • education;

  • infrastructure;

  • natural resources and extractive industries;

  • environment and forestry;

  • public procurement;

  • taxation and customs;

  • justice and law enforcement;

  • local government;

  • state-owned enterprises;

  • political institutions;

  • public administration; and

  • other high-risk sectors.

11. International, Comparative, and Transnational Perspectives

IACS welcomes comparative and international research that contributes to understanding corruption and anti-corruption beyond Indonesia, particularly studies involving:

  • comparative anti-corruption institutions;

  • cross-country anti-corruption policies;

  • international anti-corruption conventions and standards;

  • transnational corruption;

  • cross-border bribery;

  • international cooperation in corruption investigation and enforcement;

  • asset recovery across jurisdictions;

  • illicit financial flows; and

  • comparative governance and integrity systems.

Comparative studies should demonstrate a clear analytical rationale and substantive relevance to the journal's core focus.

Interdisciplinary and Methodological Scope

IACS encourages interdisciplinary research drawing on law, political science, public administration, economics, sociology, criminology, international relations, information technology, public policy, and related fields.

The journal welcomes:

  • doctrinal and legal research;

  • empirical and quantitative studies;

  • qualitative and socio-legal research;

  • comparative research;

  • case studies;

  • policy analysis and evaluation;

  • institutional analysis;

  • behavioral and experimental approaches;

  • interdisciplinary research; and

  • mixed-methods research.

Methodological approaches should be appropriate to the research question and transparently presented.

Geographic Scope

The primary geographic focus of IACS is Indonesia, including national, regional, and local dimensions of corruption and anti-corruption governance.

The journal also welcomes comparative, regional, and international studies where the analysis provides meaningful theoretical, empirical, methodological, or policy insights relevant to Indonesia or the broader field of anti-corruption studies.

Scholarly and Policy Contribution

IACS seeks to publish research that makes a clear theoretical, empirical, methodological, legal, institutional, or policy contribution to the study of corruption and its prevention.

The journal particularly values scholarship that:

  • advances theoretical understanding of corruption;

  • evaluates the effectiveness of anti-corruption interventions;

  • identifies institutional and regulatory weaknesses;

  • provides robust empirical evidence;

  • develops innovative approaches to corruption prevention and detection;

  • examines the relationship between corruption and broader governance challenges; and

  • offers evidence-based recommendations for institutional and policy reform.

The journal aims to serve as a scholarly forum for researchers, academics, policymakers, legal professionals, public officials, civil society organizations, and practitioners engaged in strengthening integrity, accountability, transparency, and good governance.

Out of Scope

Manuscripts that do not make a substantive connection to corruption, anti-corruption, integrity, transparency, accountability, or governance are generally outside the scope of IACS.

Purely descriptive accounts of individual corruption cases, news reports, opinion pieces without scholarly analysis, or manuscripts lacking a clear academic contribution to corruption studies may be rejected during the initial editorial assessment.

The journal prioritizes research that moves beyond description toward critical analysis, evidence-based evaluation, theoretical development, or meaningful policy and institutional implications.