The purpose of this conference (Aug. 8-9, 2012) is to bring together an international group of scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines (economics, sociology, public administration, political economy, business, anthropology, law, political science, information technology, journalism, education, etc.) to collectively explore the multiple facets of the problems of democratic governance, particularly as they relate to corruption, and to suggest concrete strategies geared toward solving these problems in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and other regions of the world.

Participants of the conference will be challenged to move from theoretical frameworks to practical strategies for improving democratic institutions, governance processes, and curbing corruption. Issues that participants could address include, but are not limited to:

• Problems of democratic governance and their potential solutions
• The role of civil society organizations in democracy and governance
• Problems of transparency and accountability in the local and national governments and in international relations
• Ethics and decision making
• Origins and definitions of corruption in the historical and cultural contexts of countries Corruption in public bureaucracies
• Corruption in business practices of international corporations operating and local business and the intersections of these with corruption in governance
• Evaluation of anti-corruption strategies recommended and implemented by the governments and bi-lateral and multi-lateral development agencies
• The roles of international NGOs and local development organizations in democratic governance and fighting corruption
• The roles of information and communication technologies in tracking the implementation of anti-corruption strategies
• Challenges in coordinating anti-corruption strategies
• The role of educational institutions in advancing democratic governance and fighting corruption.