Fellows Share Research on Disinformation and Backsliding

In their internship class this spring, the 2024 fellows conducted research on key challenges facing democracies today. Their research assessed current findings on these challenges globally and the sociopolitical, legal, and constitutional dynamics shaping these issues in Latin America. Today, students presented their research on disinformation in elections and democratic disaffection and backsliding.

One research team analyzed the risks that disinformation poses to democracy, assessing the components of a successful fake news campaign, strategies employed by these campaigns, and potential responses by government and civic actors.

Fellow Alejandra Vadillo discusses the environments in which disinformation can thrive and challenge democracy.

Another research team analyzed democratic disaffection, exploring how it relates to democratic backsliding and the advance of populism and authoritarian risks in Latin America.

Fellow Andrea Meador-Safont explains links between democratic disaffection, populism, and new forms of authoritarianism.
Fellow Taylor Crownover discusses challenges today stemming from past episodes of authoritarianism in Panama.

Students will continue their research on these and other topics while working at International IDEA in Panama and Chile this summer.