ABSTRACT
In PNG, as with many developing countries, corruption talk can be baffling for the uninitiated. In popular discourse the term can be used to describe a moral failing, illegal activity or institutional decay. To help untangle the variety of ways that Papua New Guineans talk about corruption, this chapter introduces a typology of corruption that comprises two different views, the mainstream and alternative- and five perspectives- legal, public office, economic, moral and critical- on corruption. The chapter highlights the way written narratives about corruption in PNG reflect these perspectives. While much has been written about corruption in PNG, few authors endeavour to say what they mean when they employ the term. Moreover, there have been few attempts to categorise narratives of corruption in PNG. The chapter concludes by suggesting that while the alternative view may be unpopular, it could provide important insights into the effects of anti-corruption work in the country, and could show how corruption may be better addressed.
