This report has been produced within the framework of ANTICORRP reseach initiative.

It explores the metaphorical dimensions of corruption vocabulary arguing that it is built on a paradox - on two apparently contradictory facts. The first one is that there is an international vocabulary associated with corruption that reveals a general, even though superficial, understanding of this phenomenon. The second fact is that there are important local peculiarities in the usage of even the most common corruption related terms (like nepotism, familism, clientelism, cartels). This report is built around this paradox, exploring the tensions between the transnational symbolism of corruption and its local meanings by looking at the use of metaphors in the national press from seven different countries (Italy, France, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and UK).

The report is available online.