Rethinking Democratic Practices in Southeast Asia: Corruption and Political Scandals in the Early 21st Century

Abstract

This special issue deals with how corruption and political scandals impact upon Southeast Asian societies. It is concerned with the ways in which both influence the perceptions of democracy within the region, and whether recent transformations have furthered democratic liberalization. This article offers a brief overview of recent academic discussions that have taken place within Southeast Asia, foregrounding the two issues of corruption and political scandals as part of the debate on the diverse forms of democracy in the region.