By Angela Fraioli, PhD Student in the UT Government Department
This summer, I had the privilege of completing a two-month long internship for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Pristina, Kosovo. This experience greatly developed my academic and professional careers and was incredibly useful so early on in my doctoral degree. As I reach the conclusion of this experience, I feel gratitude for the many communities that have welcomed me, pride for the work I’ve completed during my time here, and excitement for the many ways in which I will apply what I have learned from this experience to my studies, professional career, and personal life.
Continue reading Supporting Women’s Participation in Kosovo →
By Grace Morris, PhD candidate in the UT Government Department
My time at the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in their headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden has been an enriching experience both professionally and personally on my path to pursuing my doctorate in Government at The University of Texas at Austin. From the moment I stepped into the Stockholm office on my first Monday morning of work, the warmth from my new colleagues resonated and it already felt like a place I could call home.
Continue reading Assessing Democracy, Migrant Participation, and Voting Patterns →
By Guillermo Pérez, PhD student in the UT Government Department
My experience during the internship was wonderful for multiple reasons. First and foremost, working with a prestigious organization like International IDEA is a privilege. The research projects, the opportunities for influence, and the constant dialogue with political authorities in the country are extremely important for strengthening democracy. Earlier in the summer, we had the opportunity to participate in a seminar organized by IDEA on the Chilean constitutional process. In that seminar, international experts such as Adam Chilton, Lisa Hilbink, and David Landau shared their reflections on the Chilean constitutional proposal. There were also dialogues between the constitutional experts who proposed the draft constitution and the members of the Constitutional Council that reviewed and approved the final version.
Continue reading Chilean Constitution Drafting →
International IDEA and the Institute of Democratic Studies (INED) at the Electoral Tribunal of Panama released a video sharing the work of the University of Texas at Austin (UT) students who interned with them in Summer 2023 as part of the Embedded Scholars program. The Embedded Scholars program is a partnership between the UT Government Department and the Comparative Constitutions Project to train students to work in democratic and constitutional development.
Continue reading IDEA & Electoral Tribunal Share UT Student Work in Latin America →
By Kaitlin Passafiume, PhD candidate in the UT Spanish and Portuguese Department
After my return from Panama, I am full of reflections about my time spent there working with International IDEA and its partners at the Institute for Democratic Studies (INED). My final month working in these capacities was different from the first, as it was more hands on and largely interactive. In the first portion of my internship, I worked in a largely independent way, developing memos that analyzed youth voting programs across Latin America. In the last half of my internship, I was very much part of a team.
Continue reading Election Preparation in Panama →
A research exchange program at the University of Texas at Austin supporting student work abroad in democratic and constitutional development