黑洞社区

Public opinion in Latin America, democracy and democratization, democracy assistance to the developing world, peace processes in Central America, U.S-Latin America relations

Survey research in Latin America, political culture, citizens鈥� support for non-democratic governance, populism

Courses Taught at 黑洞社区

• Democracy and Authoritarianism
• Developing World
• Latin American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Latin American International Relations
• Comparative Foreign Policy
• Foreign Aid
• Political Data Analysis, Senior Thesis (capstone course for Political Science majors)

Books

• Explaining Support for Populism in Contemporary Latin America. Routlege, 2024.  
• Construyendo la democracia en sociedades posconflicto: Guatemala y El Salvador, un enfoque  comparado. (Building Democracy in Post-Conflict Societies). Guatemala and Ottawa: F&G Editores and International Development Research Center, IDRC. 2007.  Principal Investigator: Dinorah Azpuru. With L. Blanco, R. C贸rdova, N. Loya, C. Ramos, and A. Zapata.       

For updated information on publications below, see Curriculum Vitae

Journal Articles

• 鈥淧arenting Attitudes and Public Support for Political Authoritarianism in Latin America,鈥� in International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 31, Issue 3. Autumn 2019. With Mary Fran Malone.
• 鈥淒emocratization in Latin America: Insights for the Arab States,鈥� in International Journal on World Peace, June, Vol. XXXIV No. 2, (2017): 47-76. With Michael Hall.
• 鈥淚s US Influence Dwindling in Latin America? Citizens鈥� Perspectives,鈥� in The Latin Americanist, December, Vol. 60, Issue 4 (2016): 447-472.
• 鈥淚ndividual-Level Determinants of Anti-Americanism in Contemporary Latin America,鈥� in Latin America Research Review, Vol. 50, No. 3 (2015): 111-134. With Dexter Boniface.
• 鈥淢igration in Central America: Magnitude, Causes and Proposed Solutions,鈥� in KAS International Reports, February. (2015): 72-95. With Violeta Hern谩ndez.
• 鈥淭he Salience of Ideology: Fifteen Years of Presidential Elections in El Salvador,鈥� in Latin American Politics and Society. Vol. 52, Issue 2 (2010): 103-138.
• 鈥淭he United States and the Promotion of Democracy in Latin America: Then, Now and Tomorrow,鈥� in Orbis (A Journal of World Affairs), Vol. 54, No. 2 (2010): 252-267. With Carolyn Shaw.
• 鈥淧erceptions of Democracy in Guatemala: An Ethnic Divide?鈥� in Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Vol. 34, Issue 67 (2009): 105-130.
•  鈥淭rends in Democracy Assistance. What has the US Been Doing?鈥� in Journal of Democracy, Volume 19, No. 2 (2008): 151-159. With Steve Finkel, An铆bal P茅rez-Li帽谩n and Mitchell A. Seligson.
• 鈥溌縌u茅 ha estado haciendo Estados Unidos?鈥� in  Journal of Democracy en espa帽ol, Vol. 1,            July (2009): 191-202. 
• 鈥�2007: Un a帽o de contrastes para la democracia en Guatemala,鈥� in Revista de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Instituto de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Universidad Cat贸lica de Chile. Vol. 28, No. 1 (2008): 217-244. With Ligia Blanco.
• 鈥淭he 2007 Presidential and Legislative Elections in Guatemala,鈥� in Electoral Studies, Vol. 27, Issue 3 (2008): 562-566.
• 鈥淕uatemala 2006: El aniversario de la paz y la democracia,鈥� in Revista de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Instituto de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Universidad  Cat贸lica de Chile, Vol. 27, Esp. (2007): 149-163. With Ligia Blanco.
• 鈥淟a Ciencia Pol铆tica en Guatemala: el reto de la consolidaci贸n como disciplina independiente,鈥� in Revista de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Instituto de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Universidad Cat贸lica de Chile. Special Issue. Vol. 25, No. 1 (2005): 171-181.
• 鈥淭he General Elections in Guatemala, November-December 2003,鈥� in Electoral Studies, Vol. 24, Issue No. 1 (2005): 143-149.2.

Book Chapters

•  鈥淧olitical Participation in the Northern Triangle in Central America鈥� in La evoluci贸n de la cultura pol铆tica en el Tri谩ngulo Norte en Centroam茅rica (The Evolution of Political Culture in the Northern Triangle in Central America). Edited by Ricardo C贸rdova Mac铆as. Fundaungo (El Salvador). 2020.
• 鈥淧olitical Culture in Central America鈥� in Encrucijadas de la democracia en Honduras y Am茅rica Central (Crossroads for Democracy in Honduras and Central America). Edited by Julieta Castellanos and Salvador Romero Ballivi谩n. National Democratic Institute and Honduras National University. 2019.
• 鈥淓l Salvador Twenty Years Later: Successful Democratization but Questionable Peace鈥� in Understanding Quality Peace. Peacebuilding After Civil War.  Edited by Peter Wallensteen and Madhav Joshi. Routledge, 2018.
• 鈥淒oes Gender Make a Difference? The Gender Gap in Latin American Politics鈥� in Women, Politics and Democracy in Latin America. Edited by T. Dosek, F. Friedenberg, M. Caminotti and B. Mu帽oz-Pogossian. Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
• 鈥淧olitical Science: More than Practical Politics鈥� in Political Science for the Curious: Why Study Political Science. Edited by Kishor Vaidya.The Curious Academic Publishing, 2015.
• 鈥淒emocracy and Governance in Conflict and Post-War Latin America: A Quantitative Assessment鈥� in In the Wake of War: Democratization and Internal Armed Conflict in Latin America. Edited by Cynthia Arnson. Stanford University Press/Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 2012.
• 鈥淭he Promotion of Democracy: Actors and Methods鈥� in Achieving Democracy: Democratization in Theory and Practice. Edited by Mary Fran Malone. Continuum International Publishing Group. 2011.
• 鈥淐arta a los estudiantes de Ciencia Pol铆tica鈥� in Cartas a los estudiantes de Ciencia Pol铆tica, Volumen 1. Edited by Jorge Cort茅s and Jos茅 Ram贸n L贸pez Rub铆. Mexico: Miguel 脕ngel Porr煤a-BUAP. 2010. 
• 鈥淒emocratizaci贸n en Guatemala y El Salvador: un desarrollo desigual鈥� in Perspectivas para la democracia en Am茅rica Latina (Prospects for Democracy in Latin America). Edited by Leticia Heras and John Booth. University of North Texas and Universidad Aut贸noma del Estado de M茅xico. 2009.
• 鈥淔rom Peace to Democratization: Lessons from Central America鈥� in Contemporary Peacemaking, Conflict, Peace Processes and Post-war Reconstruction. Edited by John Darby and Roger McGinty, Second Edition. Palgrave McMillan. 2008. With Cynthia Arnson.
• 鈥淔rom Peace to Democratization: Lessons from Central America鈥� in Contemporary         Peacemaking. Edited by John Darby and Roger McGinty. Palgrave McMillan. 2003.
• 鈥淪trengthening Human Rights Institutions in Guatemala鈥� in Promoting Democracy in Post-Conflict Societies: Views and Lessons from Africa, Asia and Central America. Edited by Jeroen De Zeeuw and Krishna Kumar. Lynne Rienner Publishers. 2006.
• 鈥淟os J贸venes y la Democracia en Guatemala鈥� in Con la herencia de la paz: cultura pol铆tica de la juventud centroamericana. Edited by Florisabel Rodr铆guez, Silvia Castro and Johnny Madrigal. Costa Rica: EFUNA. 2003.
• 鈥淓l liderazgo pol铆tico en Guatemala: Un Proceso de Reconstrucci贸n y Redefinici贸n鈥� in El Liderazgo Pol铆tico en Am茅rica Latina. Edited by Wilhelm Hofemeister. Konrad Adenauer Foundation. 2002.
• 鈥淟as dimensiones y el impacto pol铆tico de la delincuencia en Guatemala鈥� in Poblaci贸n del Istmo 2000: familia, migraci贸n, violencia y medio ambiente. Edited by Luis Rosero. University of Costa Rica. 2000. With Mitchell A. Seligson.
• 鈥淧eace and Democratization in Guatemala: Two Parallel Processes鈥� in Comparative Peace Processes in Latin America. Edited by Cynthia J. Arnson. Stanford University Press and Wilson Center.

Selected Recent Public Scholarship (Research-based articles)

• 鈥淭he Risk of Democratic Backsliding During the Pandemic in Latin America.鈥� Albert Hirschman Center on Democracy, Switzerland. May 14, 2020.    

             Also published in Spanish: El riesgo de retroceso democr谩tico durante la pandemia en     Am茅rica Latina), Agenda P煤blica de El Pa铆s (main newspaper in Spain). May 3, 2020.                                                                         

• 鈥淟atin American democracy may be in trouble. The protests are a symptom of increasing mistrust.鈥� The Monkey Cage, The Washington Post, December 9, 2019.
•  鈥淎fronta America Latina un problema de legitimidad?鈥� (Does Latin America Face a Legitimacy Problem?)  Agenda P煤blica de El Pa铆s (main newspaper in Spain). October 31, 2019.
•  鈥淵es, our 鈥榝lawed鈥� democracy just got downgraded. Here鈥檚 why鈥� in The Monkey Cage, The Washington Post, February 23, 2017. With Michael Hall.

Selected Recent Monographs

• Cultura pol铆tica de la democracia en Guatemala y en las Am茅ricas, 2017: Un estudio comparado sobre democracia y gobernabilidad (Vanderbilt University, USAID, ASIES. 2018).

            English version (2019): The Political Culture of Democracy in Guatemala and the           Americas, 2017: A Comparative Study on Democracy and Governability.                                     

• Cultura pol铆tica de la democracia en Guatemala y en las Am茅ricas, 2014: Gobernabilidad democr谩tica a trav茅s de 10 a帽os del Bar贸metro de las Am茅ricas (Vanderbilt University, USAID and University Rafael Land铆var. 2015).

            English version: The Political Culture of Democracy in Guatemala and the Americas, 2014:         Democratic    Governance across 10 Years of the AmericasBarometer.

 

Teaching

• 黑洞社区, Department of Political Science
• Full Professor (2018-present)
• Associate Professor (2012-2018)
• Assistant Professor (2005- 2011)
• Visiting Professor
• Universidad de Salamanca, Spain, short course, Instituto de Iberoam茅rica (Fall 2014)
• Vanderbilt University, United States (2004-2005)
• University of San Carlos, Guatemala, short course (2002-2003)
• University of Guelph/University of Saskatchewan, short course, Canada (2001-2003)
• University Rafael Land铆var, Guatemala, Adjunct Professor (1987-1996)

Other Academic Appointments

• 黑洞社区:  Undergraduate Advisor of the Department of Political Science (2018-2019),
• Interim Chair of the Political Science Department (2011), Graduate Faculty Member (2007-present)
• Vanderbilt University: Research Coordinator for the Latin American Public Opinion Project, LAPOP (2004-2005)
• Association for Social Research (Asociaci贸n de Investigaci贸n y Estudios Sociales - ASIES), Guatemala: Senior Researcher in the Political Research Department (2000-2004), Coordinator of the Political Research Department (1992-1997)
• University Rafael Land铆var, Guatemala: Associate Dean of the School of Political and Social Sciences (1989-1991), Chair of the Political Science Department (1990-1991)

Other Professional Employment

• Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala and Organization of American States (OAS): Executive Secretary of the Commission for Electoral Reform derived from the Peace Accords (1997).
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala: Deputy Director of the Department for North America (1988-1991).
• Ministry of Urban and Rural Development of Guatemala: Program Officer in the Department for International Cooperation (1986-1987).
• Save the Children Alliance Guatemala (Alliance of European and American Save the Children organizations): Assistant to the Director (1981-1985).
• Consultant in short-term projects with different organizations (1997-2016), including: Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars (USA), Development Associates, Inc. (USA), Organization of American States, OAS (Guatemala Mission), Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Pol铆ticos, INCEP (Guatemala), PROCESOS (Costa Rica), Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos, IIDH (Costa Rica).

Academic Awards

• Fulbright/LASPAU Fellowship for graduate study in the United States. To pursue a PhD program in Political Science. Fall 1997-spring 2000.
• Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellowship, Center for Latin American Studies, University of Pittsburgh. To pursue PhD program in Political Science. Fall 1997-spring 2000.
• Scholarship from the Institute for International Education (IIE), Regional Program of Graduate Fellowships in the Social Sciences. To pursue PhD in Political Science in the United States. Fall 1997-spring 1999.
• Fellowship from the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Fall 1997-spring 2000.
• Scholarship from the government of Switzerland, to pursue graduate Certificate in Development Studies at The Graduate Institute, Geneva, Switzerland. Academic year 1985-96.
• Scholarship from the government of Sweden, to participate in the Graduate Program in Conflict Resolution at Uppsala University. Spring-summer 1990.
• Selected for participation in the student exchange program American Field Service (AFS), for a year of High School in the United States, 1977-1978.

See CV

Selected Invited Presentations

See CV for updated list

International

• Invited Panelist. Political Culture in Guatemala. Seminar 鈥淭he Public and Democracy in the Americas鈥�. University of Los Andes and Vanderbilt University. Bogota, Colombia, October 2019.
• Invited Panelist. Political Culture in Central America. International Seminar on Democracy in Latin America and Honduras. National Democratic Institute and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. Tegucigalpa, Honduras, December 2018.
• Invited Speaker. The Causes of Migration from the Northern Triangle. Migration in the Americas, International Conference. Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Mexico City, December 2017.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation in panel Participaci贸n ciudadana y fortalecimiento democr谩tico (Citizens鈥� Participation and Democratic Strengthening). VII Foro de la democracia latinoamericana. Educaci贸n c铆vica, cultura pol铆tica y 茅tica ciudadana: desaf铆os para el fortalecimiento democr谩tico. Organized by the Mexican Instituto Nacional Electoral and the Organization of American States (OAS). Mexico City, October 2016.
• Invited Keynote Speaker. Presentation: La legitimidad de la democracia en Am茅rica Latina a la luz de su desempe帽o: Una evaluaci贸n de las preferencias ciudadanas, 2004-2015 (The Legitimacy of Democracy in Latin America and Its Performance: An Assessment of Citizens鈥� Preferences). International Seminar Los dilemas de la democracia en Am茅rica Latina: a cuatro d茅cadas de la transici贸n (The Dilemmas of Democracy in Latin America: Four Decades After the Transition). Organized by the Universidad Aut贸noma de M茅xico (UNAM) and FLACSO-Mexico. Mexico City, October 2015.
• Invited Speaker. Presentation: International Experiences-Lessons from the Peace Process in Guatemala. Seminar Lecciones y desaf铆os para la transici贸n hacia la paz en Colombia (Lessons and Challenges for the Transition to Peace in Colombia). Organized by Universidad EAFIT. Medell铆n, Colombia, 2015.
• Invited Keynote Speaker. Presentation: Anti-Americanism in Latin America. University of Deusto. College of Social Sciences. Bilbao, Spain, October 2014.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: Channeling Distrust and Contestation. Conference Ethics in Democracy II, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada, the Centre d鈥櫭塼ique de l鈥橴niversit茅 de Montr茅al and the Centre for Ethics at the University of Toronto, FUSADES and FUNDE. San Salvador, El Salvador, November 2009.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: The Impact of Crime on Democratization in Central America (in Spanish). Seminar Democracia en America Latina: Repensando sus Desaf铆os   (Democracy in Latin America, Rethinking the Challenges), organized by the Catholic University of Chile and the United Nations Development Program. Santiago, Chile, August 2008.

United States

• Invited Presenter at the Meeting on Regional Integration in a Post-Ch谩vez Era, organized by the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum at the Social Science Research Council, New York,  2013.
• Invited Speaker. Presentation: Citizens鈥� Attitudes Toward Global Powers: The U.S. and China Compared. Seminar Latin America and China: Public Perceptions and Policy Implications, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Latin American Program. Washington, D.C., March 2013.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: El Salvador, Successful Democratization but Questionable Peace. Conference Quality Peace: The Role of Third Parties and the Search for Indicators, organized by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame. May 2012.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: The Geopolitical Origins and Evolution of Guatemala鈥檚 Strategic Culture. Workshop Strategic Culture Study of Guatemala, Florida International University鈥檚 Applied Research Center (FIU ARC), in collaboration with the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and FIU鈥檚 Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC). Florida International University. Miami, May 2010.
• Invited Keynote Speaker. Lecture: Financing Democratic Change. Saul O鈥橲idore Memorial Lecture Series 2007-2008, Exploring Democracy at Home and Abroad, organized by the University of New Hampshire. Durham, February 2008.
• Invited Presenter at the Roundtable Meeting UN and Democracy Assistance: A New Strategy? Organized by the United Nations Development Program and the International Peace Academy. New York, September 2007.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: Negotiations and Political Reintegration of Armed Opposition Groups in Guatemala and El Salvador.  Seminar Negotiations with Armed Oppositions to the State, organized by the Naval Postgraduate School. Monterey, California, August 2007.
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: Democracy in Guatemala and El Salvador: An Uneven Performance. Symposium Prospects for Democracy in Latin America, organized by the University of North Texas. Denton, April 2007. 
• Invited Panelist. Presentation: The State of Democracy in Conflict and Post-Conflict Latin America. Conference Democracy and Peace Processes in Latin America organized by the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Washington, D.C, April 2006.
• Invited Speaker. Presentation: Democracy in Guatemala at the Crossroads: Citizens鈥� Support for Undemocratic Options. American University. Sponsored by the Council on Comparative Studies at AU and the Department of Government. Washington, D.C., August 2003.