Scandal in past and contemporary politics

There have been many books on individual ‘affairs’ of various kinds, but considerably fewer on the social and historical significance of political scandal in general. Yet, the phenomenon has recently emerged as a key new area of study. This is partly because of the exposure of political corruption and the growth of corruption scandals in advanced democracies since the 1980s, which have made clear that scandals are a typical phenomenon of the modern age. This book draws on work by a distinguished international team of scholars to explore the phenomenon of the scandal. It also offers a fascinating ‘insider’s account’ of the role of the press in the reporting – and indeed manufacture – of some of the most memorable scandals of recent years. Though their content has changed greatly over time, the assumption is that scandals also have enduring features in terms of their character, the conditions under which they occur, as well as their evolution and effects