Intersections of Corruption and Welfare: Power, Access and Inequality — Upcoming SOC ACE Webinar

Intersections of Corruption and Welfare: Power, Access and Inequality — Upcoming SOC ACE Webinar

Wednesday 20 May 2026 | 10:00–11:00 (BST)

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SOC ACE researchers Dr Zahid Mumtaz and Dr Caryn Peiffer will host a webinar exploring the complex relationship between corruption and informal security welfare regimes, drawing on their recent research and Pakistan as a case study.

In contexts where formal welfare systems are weak or inaccessible, people often rely on kinship networks, community structures, and patron–client relationships for social protection. The speakers will examine corruption’s dual role within these systems—both undermining formal welfare provision and acting as a survival mechanism for those excluded from official support.

The discussion will outline a nuanced, path‑dependent framework for understanding corruption’s place in informal welfare regimes and present policy recommendations to help reformers distinguish between corruption that erodes welfare equity and practices that compensate for systemic failures. The panel will also consider how state and non‑state actors, including NGOs and religious institutions, can support more inclusive and politically feasible reforms.

Visit the the research project page Understanding functionality for more effective SOC & corruption strategies and interventions

Read the accompanying research paper and briefing note - Conceptualising the Interplay of Corruption and an Informal Security Welfare Regime: Pakistan Case Study