Our PhD Researchers

Applying to study for a PhD at the Centre for the Study of Corruption

We are interested in receiving applications from potential PhD students, and generally the CSC faculty have the collective capacity to supervise around 5-6 students at any one time. We suggest you identify a potential supervisor amongst the CSC faculty before submitting an application, and email them with an initial proposal. They will be able to let you know whether they have the capacity to take on new students, and whether they feel your research proposal fits within the areas they are currently looking to supervise.

You can increase the prospects of being successful if a) you have selected a topic that is within the expertise and research interests of a CSC faculty member b) the proposal you submit as part of the application process is clear, well-written and well thought-through c) you have a track record of academic excellence at a well-regarded institution and d) you have a clear plan for how the PhD will be financed.

Although we welcome PhD students who have been practitioners or come through less conventional routes, this is a PhD in a university Politics department, and so we expect all students to be operating at that level. One pathway to this is to undertake an MA in a relevant subject, such as our Masters in Corruption & Governance.

We receive far more applications from potential PhD students than we are able to take on, and so we always advise students to have a back-up plan to approach another department at Sussex or another university. If you do join us, you will become part of a vibrant research community of corruption specialists - one of the largest specialist research groups in the world in this field. 

For further information on how to apply, please visit the Sussex Politics PhD page and refer to the guidance on how to write a good proposal.

Past PhD Students:

See our list of past PhD students.

Abrar Redha Alrehaili

Thesis title: Analysing the Influence of UNCAC and G20 Membership on Anti-Corruption Measures in Saudi Arabia’s Public Procurement Reforms (2006–2022): An Exploratory Study Using the Lens of Institutional Isomorphism.

Email: abrar.redha@sussex.ac.uk

Read more about Abrar Redha Alrehaili

Nasser Abaalkhail

Thesis title: The effectiveness of internal control in tackling corruption.

Nassar now works for Nazaha, the Saudi Arabian anti-corruption agency.

Liljana Cvetanoska 

Thesis title: Corruption in Central and Eastern Europe: The influence of the European Union on the control of corruption in the Czech Republic, Macedonia and Romania” (funded by a Chancellor's International Research Scholarship).

Moletsane Monyake

Thesis title: Anti-Corruption Reform, Political Will and Collective Action in Sub-Saharan Africa (funded by a Commonwealth Scholarship.

Rebecca Dobson Phillips 

Thesis title: Institutional corruption and UK policy-making: the case of climate change policy (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council).

Dan Keith

Thesis title: Party organisation and party adaptation: Western European communist and successor parties (funded by the ESRC).

Sam Power 

Thesis title: Party Funding Regimes and Corruption in Western Europe: Linkages, Relationships and Trends (funded by the ESRC). 

Ziqian Wang 

Thesis title: Populism and populist politicians in the politics of Taiwan.

Yang Wu

Thesis title: Narratives of (anti-)corruption in Xi Jinping's China.

Irasema Guzman

Thesis title: Corruption risks in public procurement contracts: monitoring delivery of goods, services and works projects in Mexico.

Miguel Otaola 

Thesis title: Election Results: When, where and under what conditions are they accepted? A global comparative study (funded by the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology).

Riccardo D'Emidio

Thesis title: Policing corruption or corrupted policing? A study of social norms and corrupt behaviour in the Ghana Police Service.

Becky Dobson Phillips

Thesis title: Climates of corruption: the concept of corruption, the role of power and the challenge of climate change policymaking and action.

Tom Shipley                     

Thesis title: Evaluating anti-corruption effectiveness in international development.

Uche Igwe  

Thesis title: Legislative ethics in Nigeria.

Tena Prelec 

Thesis title: The Transition Game: The persistence of elites and extractive practices in the energy sector in successor Yugoslav states.