Tag Archives: Elections

IDEA & Electoral Tribunal Share UT Student Work in Latin America

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the Institute of Democratic Studies (INED) at the Electoral Tribunal of Panama released a video sharing the work of University of Texas students who interned with them in Summer 2023 as part of the UT Government Department’s Embedded Scholars program.

In the video below, IDEA Panama Project Manager Carlos González and INED Director Salvador Sánchez share the work of the Summer 2023 interns. González also invites UT students to apply to the 2024 cohort, noting “We are waiting for you to continue contributing to democracy in and from Panama.”

International IDEA and the Institute of Democratic Studies share the work of UT students who supported their election and constitutional programs as interns in Summer 2023.

In Summer 2023, nine undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin worked on varied democracy assistance projects at International IDEA’s Regional Office for Latin America and its country offices in Chile and Panama. Those in Panama also worked directly with INED and the Electoral Tribunal of Panama in preparing for the country’s 2024 elections. Those in Chile also participated in IDEA’s work supporting the Chilean constitution drafting process.

While the Embedded Scholars program is based in the UT Department of Government, it aims to engage students from across UT in the multifaceted work of democracy assistance. Interns in Summer 2023 were from the Department of Government, Department of Mathematics, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, International Relations and Global Studies, LBJ School of Public Affairs, McCombs School of Business, and Plan II Honors Program.

Learn more about their work on a range of election, political, and constitutional projects in the video above!

Comms, Elections, and Personal Transformation

By Adriel Bustillos

Embarking on an internship with International IDEA in Panama City was been a remarkable and transformative experience. Over the course of my time in Panama, I had the opportunity to contribute to vital projects, including designing new communications materials for IDEA’s regional work and conducting research on elections and runoff processes in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Beyond professional growth, the internship also allowed me to immerse myself in the vibrant Panamanian culture and expand my horizons. The overall experience gave me a new sense of learning, but one that will always be held close to my heart in years to come.

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AI, Social Media, and Democracy

By Tien Vo

I recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in government and math. This summer I got to work with International IDEA through an internship organized by the UT Government Department and two amazing professors, Ashley Moran and Zachary Elkins. It is a newly developed internship program to study democratic institutional development in Latin America, and it has been an honor being one of the students chosen to participate in this program.

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Election Preparation in Panama

By Kaitlin Passafiume

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.

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Women’s Political Participation in Panama

By Alexys Aquino

I’m happy to report that humidity is universal, although sometimes it seems Texas has a monopoly on it! Along with the humidity, Panama has no shortage of lush greenery, kind strangers, and strong coffee. I had never been to Central America before this internship with International IDEA and UT Austin, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I’ve been in Panama for over a month, I’ve started to get the hang of it all, from using the metro to navigating the temperamental elevators at the Electoral Tribunal. Despite all that I have learned, I’ve found that working in a multinational environment on topics as important as gender parity in Panamanian politics teaches you something new constantly.

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First-Ever Symbolic Youth Voting Campaign in Panama

By Kaitlin Passafiume

As I wrap up the initial month of collaboration with International IDEA at the Electoral Tribunal in Panama, I reflect on the diverse experiences that I have enjoyed in a short period of time. My completion of this internship signals an ability to successfully pivot from an academic background, using my critical humanities formation for public-facing work going forward. I remain convinced that cultural considerations have their place in governmental and extra-governmental projects, and I am heartened to find that the public arena in Panamá considers and even encourages diverse perspectives.

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Fellows Arrive in Panama!

Six graduate and undergraduate UT students started their Summer 2023 work today in Panama at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

Francisco Alvarado-Quiroz, Alexys Aquino, Matt Martin, and Kaitlin Passafiume are working at the IDEA Panama Office, supporting a range of democracy assistance projects including evaluations of the constitution’s performance, women’s participation in elections, and the first-ever Panamanian youth voting campaign.

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