What Is Whistleblowing?

Abstract

The practice of fearless speech occupies a distinctive yet neglected role within the history of political thought. In this chapter we contextualize whistleblowing within such a tradition and define its proper scope. In the first part we offer an introduction on the origin of the term and a discussion of some early cases. We pay particular attention to the ancient Greek practice of parrhesia, and then situate whistleblowing within the debate on publicity. In the second part of the chapter we turn to the current debate on the morality of whistleblowing and review some conceptions proposed in the literature: the standard theory, complicity, the moral choice view, integrity, civic duty, and the question of loyalty. In the final part we lay down the features of a comprehensive definition. We introduce an important distinction between political and civic whistleblowing, provide a detailed account of both forms, and clear some confusions that have emerged in the recent literature.