Introduction

Corruption as a research strand has been growing exponentially over the past decades. The focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has also been evident in the literature, where case studies of countries have been growing. The overarching literature found on informal practices in the MENA region pertains to the practice of wasta, i.e. of “pulling strings”, especially its economic implications. In order to obtain government documents, official approvals, gain access to basic social services, secure a spot in a university, or find a job, Middle Easterners routinely rely on personal connections and bribery, in the form of wasta and/or hamula. Despite the development of the two research strands in their own right, there is a dearth of research on the nexus of informal practices and corruption in the Middle East. As pointed out by Helen Lackner there is an over representation of Jordan in studies of informal practices, specifically of wasta.