ABSTRACT
It would be reasonable to conclude nepotism is a dirty word. The paucity of references to it in bodies of literature suggests authors do not like to write about it, or editors do not like to publish anything about it. I found more books with “devil worship” than “nepotism” in the title. The definition of nepotism is “patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business or politics” (https://www.dictionaryreference.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">www.dictionaryreference.com, 2010). The word first appeared in the 1600s, and its etymological origin is the Italian work for nephew, nepo. Its origin is related to the papacy. Newly elected popes appointed relatives, typically brothers and nephews, and provided them with resources to preserve their newly created social and political status. The pope would “surround himself with intimates of unquestionable personal loyalty. Ties of blood were seen as the guarantors against intrigue and factionalism” ( Scott, 1991, p. 4). Being celibate, sons were replaced by nephews in the pope’s cadre.
