| Summary: | This article aims at analyzing political scandals as a cornerstone of 1990s corruption in Argentina drawing on the perspective of public problems. First, it presents a statistical review of the political scandals of the decade. Then, three of the major scandals are reconstructed and analyzed in line with our framework. The definition of corruption as a public problem is built on the role played by the press and watchdog exposés. It is argued that scandals serve as reality tests within the contentious relations of politicians, journalists and other relevant actors. On the one hand, scandals pose a challenge to the social status of those involved in it. Such a challenge entails a dynamic ranging from glorification to degradation. On the other hand, scandals represent a stabilization mechanism for the problem of corruption. Scandals are reality tests of corruption phenomena. Journalist coverage and research over scandals entangle a probatory logic that structures these reality tests. Elements such as documents and testimonies resulting from journalistic endeavors contribute to the qualitative shift of denounces into scandal situations.
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