Paper short abstract:

In this paper, taking into account ethnographic research conducted in border areas and institutions of law enforcement in Mexico and Europe, we critically review the concept of institutional corruption in understanding the phenomena that cheating in the interstices of the legal institutional system

Paper long abstract:

It is well known in many countries the existence of social practices by certain groups that contradict the foundations of the democratic nation state ruled by law. It is also frequently recognized these practices against citizens' rights are exercised by their own representatives and state officials responsible for ensuring compliance. Such is the case of Mexico, which in recent years have exacerbated the traditional problems of institutional corruption in the current context of the war against organized crime. However, the problems caused by the failure of institutional legality also extend to countries that are supposedly more under the rule of law and institutional control. In this paper, taking into account different ethnographic research conducted in border areas between Spain and France and between Mexico and Central America, and institutions of law enforcement in Mexico, we critically review the concept of institutional corruption in understanding the phenomena that cheating in the interstices of the legal institutional system. But these processes should not be conceived as epiphenomena, but as processes validated socially and morally entitled to become the structuring of social compliance. These corrupt practices can be understood as special adaptations of the rules of the state in contexts where they are represented as positive in moral horizons limited to local agreements, regardless of universal ethical values