Corrupción, integración y regionalismo en las relaciones internacionales: una discusión de los sustentos de su necesidad causal

There is little doubt that corruption is the final node of a long chain of entities that are causally linked and, at the same time, is a phenomenon that can severely disrupt regional integration and regionalization processes. This belief-deeply rooted in the scientific community that stud -IES this phenomenon- has resulted in the publication of numerous studies that do not combine research methods or epistemological approaches to elucidate robust causal models. Therefore, this review paper intends to discuss the foundations of the causal need underlying international relations studies of corruption in relation to integration and regionalism. The main conclusion suggests that greater methodological pluralism and epistemological eclecticism are required to explain causal relationships and broaden causality analysis, based on concepts that have observable and unobservable units.