Transparency'' has multiple, contested meanings. This broad-ranging volume accepts that complexity and thoughtfully contrasts alternative views through conceptual pieces, country cases, and assessments of policies - such as freedom of information laws, whistleblower protections, financial disclosure, and participatory policymaking procedures.'
- Susan Rose-Ackerman, Yale University Law School, US'For me this book could have been titled Everything I Ever Wanted To Know About Transparency Policy And Law But Didn t Know Enough To Ask. It is masterful and unmatched in depth, scope, and acuity. It convincingly analyzes the complexities of transparency on a comparative basis in terms of goals, culture and government, legal approaches, and global governance. What is transparency? What can it be? What are its consequences? How can it be promoted and regulated? Henceforth no one should seriously attempt to address such questions without first reading this outstanding book.'
- David H. Rosenbloom, School of Public Affairs, American University, US

In recent years the concept of transparency has received much attention, but few have approached the topic from a critical standpoint. This Handbook explores the different meanings and applications of transparency and their many implications.

The expert contributors identify the goals, purposes and ramifications of transparency while presenting both its advantages and shortcomings. Through this framework, they explore transparency from a number of international and comparative perspectives. Some chapters emphasize cultural and national aspects of the issue, with country-specific examples from China, Mexico, the US and the UK, while others focus on transparency within global organizations such as the World Bank and the WTO. A number of relevant legal considerations are also discussed, including freedom of information laws, financial disclosure of public officials and whistleblower protection.

A diverse and unique volume, the Research Handbook on Transparency will prove an essential reference for scholars, policy makers, practitioners and legal reform advocates.

Contributors: Padideh Ala'i, J. Ackerman, A.J. Brown, K. Clark, M. D'Orsi, S. Dreyfus, C. Embree, E. Fisher, H.P. Glenn, H. Ala Hamoudi, J.W. Head, D.B. Hunter, W. Liu, J.S. Lubbers, D.J. Metcalfe, S. Routray, I.E. Sandoval, W. Vandekerckhove, R.G. Vaughn