Drawing on literature from several disciplines, this enlightening book examines the history of whistleblower laws throughout the world and provides an analytical structure for the most common debates about the nature of such laws and their potential successes and failures.The author explores the relationship between the actions of whistleblowers and the character of laws protecting them, as well as their administration and enforcement. The book considers the role of civil society groups in the successes of whistleblower laws and how current controversies reflect issues attached to these laws over half a century.

This study contains perspectives from which successes and failures can be evaluated and will appeal to policy makers, scholars, whistleblower advocacy and other civil society groups, as well as anyone with a general interest in the subject.

Contents:
Preface
1. Successes and Failures
2. Question Authority
3. Nonviolence and Civil Disobedience
4. Whistleblower Stories and Emerging Narratives
5. Watergate and Whistleblower Protection
6. The Civil Service Reform Act and Whistleblower Protection
7. Retrospective and Forecast
8. Incentives
9. Private-sector Laws
10. Institutional Failure
11. Interpretation
12. National Security
13. Global Whistleblower Laws
14. Civil Society
15. Perspectives
16. Old Issues - New Controversies
Index