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.
Continue reading AI and Democracy in Latin America →
By Taylor Crownover
Upon arriving in Santiago, Chile, it dawned on me that I was further south than I had ever been in my life! Despite this, the time difference with Texas is just one hour ahead. Here I am, on the opposite side of the world, yet aligned longitudinally with my home. This realization has persisted throughout my first month in Chile, where cultural differences are strikingly evident, yet abounding moments of familiarity are also present as I continue immersing myself in the city.
Continue reading Bridging Borders: Cultural and Political Thoughts from a Texan in Santiago →
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.
Continue reading Fellows Share Research on Disinformation and Backsliding →
By Frances Parra
As my time in Panama came to an end, I was tasked with the professional culmination of my internship, as well as the goodbyes to the place and people I called home for the entirety of the summer. My research for International IDEA had explored topics such as political risk, governance, and foreign policy in Latin American countries. Although my primary focus was Latin America, my investigations delved into the foreign relations of Latin American countries with regions around the world, including Asia, Europe, and North America. Overall, it sought to understand these topics as they pertain to democratic governance and society in Latin America today and in the future.
Continue reading Understanding Political Risk →
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.
Continue reading AI, Social Media, and Democracy →
By Tien Vo
When I arrived in Santiago, Chile early this summer, I was a little nervous and very excited about what was awaiting me in a new city, a new country. Through my four years at UT, I explored a wide range of topics in politics, ranging from the productive political conversations taking place on social media platforms to affective polarization. And this research has always been U.S.-focused. But I had never thought about participating in an internship about constitutional reforms in a different country. Yet there I was applying for an internship on democratic assistance programs in Latin America, working with International IDEA.
Continue reading New Threats to Democracy →
A research exchange program at the University of Texas at Austin supporting student work abroad in democratic institutional development