Corruption taxes economies and individuals in both the developing and the developed world. We will examine what corruption means in different places and contexts, from grand financial scandals to misappropriation of development funds and ethnic favoritism. How do we measure it? What are its costs and social consequences? What has culture got to do with it? How much does a free press matter? One antidote to corruption is better governance. Students will work closely with the professor to develop an independent and original research project analyzing a large dataset from Kenya. The goal is to understand why some regional governments in Kenya are better able to control this problem than others. Lessons learned should have global implications. Limited enrollment.