In this episode of The Better Way?, Zach and Hui unpack the complexities of corruption with Professors Oguzhan Dincer and Michael Johnston, authors of Corruption in America: A Fifty-Ring Circus. They explore why corruption is not a simple crime—but instead, a deeply entrenched phenomenon with long-term consequences for democracy, development, and institutional trust.

You’ll hear why defining corruption is harder than you think, how campaign finance and lobbying create a race to the bottom, and what our guests' five-year survey of political reporters uncovered about corruption right here at home. Plus, practical advice for those who want to fight back—not just by checking compliance boxes, but by demanding accountability and informed participation. By the end, you’ll see corruption not as a distant problem, but as a challenge we all have a stake in solving.