By Trinity Elkins, Graduate student at the UT LBJ School of Public Affairs
Përshëndetje! This summer I had the incredible privilege of working with the National Democratic Institute in Tirana, Albania, a country with a deeply complex political history. Between 1944 and 1985, the reigning dictator, Enver Hoxha, completely closed Albania off to the rest of the world. Citizens were not allowed to cross the border (in or out), own property, practice religion, or express any sort of individualism. Given his isolationist agenda, Hoxha was immensely paranoid that Albania was on the brink of a foreign invasion, so he ordered the construction of 173,000 bunkers to be built over the 10,500 square miles within the country. He idealized and aligned himself with Albania’s 15th century national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti (Skanderbeg), in order to legitimize his rule.
Continue reading Witnessing History in Albania →
By Andrea Meador-Safont, Undergraduate student in the UT Government Department and Plan II Honors Program
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.
Continue reading Researching Executive Power and Independent Candidates →
A research exchange program at the University of Texas at Austin supporting student work abroad in democratic and constitutional development