Whistleblowing and Democratic Values

Abstract

This Ebook is based on the papers presented at the 2nd International Whistleblowing Research conference (2011 at Middlesex University, London). Democracy stands for self-government and human autonomy, for participating in decisions that affect our lives. We often think about democracy only as a political system where we elect those who will make laws that affect us. Yet everyday decisions taken in all kinds of organisations impact on us just as much. Therefore we have to know when decisions taken in organisations are going to affect us in ways that differ from the official organisational discourse. Whistleblowing plays a role in providing that knowledge and thus is a means to democracy. Chapters: Abraham Mansbach draws our attention to this political vision that the act of whistleblowing embodies and represents. In his chapter he examines whistleblowing as ‘parrhesia’, a practice of 'fearless speech' Richard Moberly and Lindsey Wylie examine whistleblowing provisions in codes of conduct of US publicly traded corporations. How do US private sector organisations persuade or even instruct their employees to take up 'fearless speech', and how credible is this? Eva Tsahuridu discusses the management of whistleblowing through codes of conduct but looks at it from an organisational culture perspective. More precisely, she asks what rationale there is for internal whistleblowing from a risk management point of view. She argues that a paradigm shift is taking place. Corporate communication specialist, Bjorn Rohde-Liebenau, makes an important bridge from the internal management of whistleblowing to how this is relevant at the societal level. He puts forward his vision of the role of an ombuds-system in whistleblowing about corruption as a way of showing how internal systems can be made to work for the benefit of both the enterprise and a democratic society. Brown reviews the state of whistleblowing law reform in Australia. In doing so, he offers a valuable analysis of how recognition of the role of public whistleblowing can both secure democracy as well as be democratic in its own right. Indira Carr examines the provisions on whistleblowing in the anti-corruption conventions that the UK has ratified in order to provide the context for a discussion of the Bribery Act 2010 and the accompanying Guidance Document issued by the Secretary of State. Cathy James comments on the protection afforded to workers who make external disclosures under the UK Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA, now Part IVA of the Employment Rights Act 1996). She argues that further regulation is needed for the proper operation of any law or system intended to protect whistleblowers, and how civil society is a vital element in that. Bjørkelo and Matthiesen outline the background to and the impact of their research in Norway. They then describe the link between whistleblowing, retaliation, workplace bullying and health. Their overview of the micro-politics of whistleblowing is well theorised with a typology of retaliation, and a description of common symptoms reported after exposure to reprisals and workplace bullying.