Philosophical Methodology for Investigating Socio-Cultural Factors in Anti-Corruption: World Experience and Development Trends

The persistence of corruption across diverse political and economic systems has increasingly directed scholarly attention toward its socio-cultural underpinnings. This article explores the philosophical methodology employed in researching socio-cultural factors in anti-corruption efforts, drawing on world experience, and identifies current development trends in this interdisciplinary field. The study adopts the IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) structure to systematically analyze the epistemological foundations, methodological pluralism, and emergent paradigms that shape contemporary anti-corruption research. By integrating hermeneutic, phenomenological, critical-theoretical, and post-structural approaches, the paper demonstrates how philosophical inquiry enriches empirical investigations of corruption’s cultural embeddedness. The findings highlight a shift from universalist, positivist frameworks toward context-sensitive, interpretive models that account for historical legacies, symbolic orders, and social practices. The discussion underscores the growing importance of ethical reflexivity, decolonial perspectives, and the co-construction of knowledge in shaping future anti-corruption methodologies. Ultimately, the article argues that a philosophically informed methodology not only deepens understanding of corruption’s socio-cultural roots but also enhances the design of culturally legitimate and sustainable integrity systems.