Richard Calland (EDT), Guy Dehn (EDT) Whistleblowing Around the World

Annotation

Whistleblowing Around the World: Law, Culture and Practice is a book about governance and accountability in the twenty-first century. It looks at the role of whistleblowing and features four case studies from around the globe a)Sherron Watkins was named Time Person of the Year for blowing the whistle as the world's biggest energy trading company, Enron, imploded; b) Victoria Johnson took on the corrupt political leadership of the City of Cape Town and revealed that her boss was party to a major attempt to deceive the public; c) Dr Jiang Yanyong broke ranks in China, finally persuading his government to publicly reveal and confront the spread of SARS; d) Harry Templeton looked media magnate Robert Maxwell in the eye and challenged his plundering of pension funds. As this book shows, despite the dilemmas that potential whistleblowers face, there are increasing numbers of people who are prepared to question corrupt or negligent acts in the workplace, challenging authority by speaking out - even where it may mean risking jobs, career or safety to do so. A book for practitioners, policymakers, professionals, academics and activists, Whistleblowing Around the World: Law, Culture and Practice examines American, Australasian, British, Japanese and South African legislation. It looks at what encourages and discourages legitimate whistleblowing in different cultures and evaluates the different policy models. It considers the roles of employees, employers, the state, the media, the law and civil society and offers practical advice. As editors Guy Dehn and Richard Calland explain, only if the good intentions of any law are matched by a change in culture can a safe alternative to silence be created. Only then can the principle of accountability work in practice and protect the public interest.