By María Mercedes Gómez
What is democracy? What is the relationship between democracy, security, and gender? This past month working with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) has made me consider deeper ways to understand these concepts. Although I am Colombian and I have lived in Mexico many years of my life, living in Panama has taught me that every Latin American country is unique. Every day has been a constant discovery—from learning how to take public transportation, which products are best in the grocery store, and how to dress for the office in a Central American country to learning how to interact with people from across Latin America in the office.
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By Bourne
When I first accepted this internship, I immediately saw parallels between Panama City and Austin: two capital cities with amazing nightlife, an incredible mix of biodiversity and modern cityscapes, and the most mouth-watering food at every turn. Now, after spending a month working at the Latin America Regional Office of International IDEA, Panamá has lived up to every expectation, and my time here has catapulted my career in the right direction.
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By Andrea Meador-Safont
Just weeks after Panama elected a new president and National Assembly, I landed at the front steps of a grandiose government building, tasked with helping seasoned researchers analyze the new government citizens chose to represent them. Following one of the most important elections since Panama’s transition to democracy, incoming President José Raúl Mulino has the Herculean task of leading a country away from polarization, political tension, and social divisions while tackling issues of corruption, migration, and the environment. Many Panamanians have expressed disillusionment with their government, citing political corruption as a significant concern. However, amid voter apathy and citizen disaffection, there is a glimmer of hope that the incoming administration may bring about much-needed change.
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Fellows in the UT Government Department’s Embedded Scholars Program won an award for their research conducted in the spring Embedded Scholars class prepping them for field work in democracy assistance. Fellows Andreana Faucette and Paulina Licon won the 2024 Patman Center Research Award for Advancing Democracy, which recognizes “exceptional insight and dedication to advancing the cause of democracy.”
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The 2024 fellows conducted research this spring on a range of pressing challenges and opportunities for democracies today. Students shared their research this week, giving presentations on the role of public participation, civic and constitutional culture, and democratic resilience in preserving and advancing democracy.
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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.
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A research exchange program at the University of Texas at Austin supporting student work abroad in democratic institutional development