This book is based on my doctoral research completed at George Mason University in Virginia, from 2012 to 2017. I owe the most to my scientific advisor Dr. Louise Shelley, whose expertise, guidance, and innovative insights into corruption and organized crime deepened and enriched my understanding of these problems from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The book would never have been written without her encouragement and without the support of the Center for Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Corruption Studies (TraCCC), which she founded at George Mason University. TraCCC served as a thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating home throughout the research process. One of the most valuable advantages was the intensive process of dialog with international scholars and anti-corruption practitioners whom I was lucky to meet at numerous events, conferences, and lectures organized by TraCCC. This fascinating and energizing experience strengthened my belief that international cooperation in the field of anti-corruption programs has enormous potential to create mechanisms for social control and promote action for responsible public administration.

这本书基于我2012年至2017年在弗吉尼亚州乔治梅森大学完成的博士研究。我最感谢我的科学顾问路易丝·雪莱博士，他对腐败和有组织犯罪的专业知识、指导和创新见解加深并丰富了我从理论和实践角度对这些问题的理解。如果没有她的鼓励，也没有她在乔治梅森大学创立的恐怖主义、跨国犯罪和腐败研究中心（TRACC）的支持，这本书永远不会写成。在整个研究过程中，TraCCC一直是一个发人深省和智力激励的家。其中一个最宝贵的优势是与国际学者和反腐倡廉人员进行了深入的对话，我有幸在TRACC组织的许多活动、会议和讲座上见到了他们。这段引人入胜和振奋人心的经历使我更加坚信，在反腐败项目领域的国际合作在创造社会控制机制和促进负责任的公共行政的行动方面具有巨大的潜力。