Explore the database

We suggest that you begin to familiarise yourself with this database by browsing alphabetically, by relevant category or by geographical location. If you recognise the name of the practice or are interested in a particular country, you can go straight to the relevant entry and follow the cross-references from there.

Individual entries in this Encyclopaedia present empirical material that:

• makes the ‘informal order’ more visible through ethnography and examples;
• refers to the key themes of ambivalence and complexity explored in the volume;
• weaves into a critical discussion of concepts devised for tackling such practices (such as clan, patronage, nepotism, informal networks or informal institutions);
• illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of discipline-based analysis;
• points to existing research and new research questions;
• suggests cross-references