The current accountability impasse suggests it may be time to rethink core concepts, as well as the field’s underlying theories of change. The idea of accountability is malleable, ambiguous — and contested. This fuzziness poses challenges for both theory and practice – how do we know what strategies bolster accountability – or whether accountability produces its expected effects?

This essay recognizes the challenge of defining ‘what counts’ as accountability, unpacks a longstanding theory of change – that sunshine is the best disinfectant – and considers some information-based reform initiatives to identify missing links in the causal chain between transparency and accountability.

This was first published as part of the Accountability Perspectives series from American University’s Washington College of Law.