This book offers the first comprehensive account of Anticorruption Public Diplomacy, presenting an original framework to explain how states construct, negotiate, and project integrity through public diplomacy as part of their international identity. It positions anticorruption as a key dimension of foreign policy and a strategic resource in the global competition for legitimacy, trust, and influence, redefining the exercise of power and credibility in contemporary international affairs.

Grounded in an interpretivist–constructivist approach, it conceptualises Anticorruption Public Diplomacy as a multidimensional process of international socialisation linking ethical values, interests, and identity. An innovative analytical matrix is developed and applied to comparative case studies of Denmark, New Zealand, the United States, and South Korea, revealing how anticorruption norms are shaped, diffused, and internalised across different contexts, offering original insights into the global dynamics of integrity governance.

This volume shows how ethical norms evolve into instruments of power in world politics, making it essential reading for scholars and practitioners alike.

Niedja Santos is a jurist and interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of International Relations, Law, and Public Policy. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Lisbon and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Coimbra, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. She also holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Law and an MBA. 

She is affiliated with research centres at the Universities of Coimbra and Lisbon, in Portugal, contributing to projects on democracy, anticorruption public diplomacy, and legal innovation. Her widely published research examines the diplomatic and normative dimensions of anticorruption, with a focus on how public diplomacy shapes global norms. Her academic work is complemented by professional experience in Brazil, including leadership roles in economic development, innovation, and international cooperation, as well as international consultancy in city diplomacy.