Tag Archives: Training

Mapping Sense of Belonging and Birthright Citizenship Laws: My Experience Researching Migration and Nationality in the Americas 

By P. Salomé Valdivieso Santillán, Graduate student at the UT Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies

Our research project began with the aim of studying how different birthright nationality laws shape migrant integration in four diverse settings: Panama, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. These countries differ not only in terms of language, policies, and economies, but also in the levels of inclusion towards migrants, which significantly impact how we conceptualize the south-north divide. The United States, for instance, grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil, while Colombia and the Dominican Republic impose stricter conditions that can leave children of migrants in legal limbo. Panama is a rare case, given the antecedents of the “Crisol de Razas” (melting pot) policies, where a melting pot ideology, similar to that of the United States, has been established as one of the primary identity markers of the country. 

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Democracy Internship Applications Due Nov. 1

The 2026 Embedded Scholars Application is now open for UT students to apply for Summer 2026 internships in democratic and constitutional development in the Balkans, Central Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Applications are due by November 1, 2025.

The Embedded Scholars program is an innovative fellowship that trains students at UT in the spring then places them in summer internships abroad focused on democracy assistance and research. By combining applied work and research, the fellowship aims to launch students’ work in the field while advancing democratic development.

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New Democracy Internships at Gallup, IDEA, NDI, and TI

UT’s Embedded Scholars program—led by UT Government faculty members Zachary Elkins and Ashley Moran—doubled in size this year to offer internships in more countries with more international organizations working in democratic development abroad.

Started three years ago as a partnership with International IDEA and the Comparative Constitutions Project in Latin America, the program combines in-depth classroom training in the spring with summer internships in democracy assistance abroad. This year, the program continued its work in Panama and Chile, and expanded to additional countries—Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, North Macedonia, and Sweden—as well as additional international organizations—CID Gallup, International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment team, the National Democratic Institute, and Transparency International.

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2025 Embedded Scholars Head to Europe and Latin America

The University of Texas at Austin’s Embedded Scholars program sent its 2025 cohort to Europe and Latin America this week to support democracy and electoral assistance programs abroad this summer. In Latin America, the fellows will work in CID Gallup offices in Panama, and in International IDEA’s Regional Office for Latin America, Chile Country Office, and Panama Country Office. In Europe, the fellows will work in International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment team in Sweden, in the National Democratic Institute’s office in North Macedonia, and with Transparency International’s office in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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The Value of Field Research for Democracy

By Ariana Guerrero, Undergraduate student in the UT International Relations and Global Studies Department, Race Indigeneity and Migration Program, and Bridging Disciplines Program

My time in Panama has been enriching and filled with personal and professional growth. My first task was acclimating to a new city and to commuting and having a full-time job in such a diverse city. I loved practicing my Spanish in a professional setting through my internship. This was the first time I had the opportunity to speak my native language outside my home so extensively and freely for an extended period of time. Since my Mexican accent is different from that of my fellow Panamanian coworkers and neighbors, it was exciting to see how cultures can be similar and still unique.

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Embedded Scholars Win Democracy Research Award

Fellows in the University of Texas at Austin’s Embedded Scholars Program won an award for their research conducted in the spring Embedded Scholars class. 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.” Their research was conducted in the spring class taught by Ashley Moran on democratic constitutional design that prepares students for field work in democracy assistance.

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Fellows Share Research on Participation, Culture, and Democratic Resilience

The 2024 Embedded Scholars 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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Fellows Share Research on Disinformation and Backsliding

In their internship class this spring, the 2024 Embedded Scholars 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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Comms, Elections, and Personal Transformation

By Adriel Bustillos, Undergraduate student in the UT Government Department and Plan II Honors Program

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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Learning across Cultures

By Alexys Aquino, Undergraduate student in the UT Government Department, International Relations and Global Studies Department, and Spanish and Portuguese Department

My last week in Panama went by so fast. All of a sudden, I was on a plane back to Texas and, just like that, my six weeks there were over. Now that I’m back in the U.S., I feel so aware of the things I learned in Panama and the aspects of life there that I really valued. Some of them I can implement in my life, and others I’ll just have to look upon fondly.

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First-Ever Symbolic Youth Voting Campaign in Panama

By Kaitlin Passafiume, PhD candidate in the UT Spanish and Portuguese Department

As I wrap up the initial month of working 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 Panama considers and even encourages diverse perspectives.

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2023 Fellows Develop New Public Consultation

The 2023 Embedded Scholars have been preparing for their summer work abroad through a new government course created for the program — Research in Democratic and Constitutional Development — taught by Ashley Moran. The course delves into issues in democratization, constitutional design, and democracy assistance, engaging students in research in these areas. This semester, the students worked with Professor Moran and the Comparative Constitutions Project to design a new deliberative consultation framework to research public views on constitutional issues.

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UT, IDEA, and CCP Partner to Engage Students in Democracy Aid

This story originally appeared on the UT College of Liberal Arts website. A version of this story also appeared later on the UT Texas Global website.

Students from The University of Texas at Austin will spend the summer in Central and South America working on democracy and election assistance through a new partnership between UT’s Department of Government and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

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UT GOV Hosts Partners from International IDEA

This story originally appeared on the UT Government Department website.

The UT Government Department hosted partners from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), kicking off a new collaboration that will send UT graduate and undergraduate students to work with IDEA on democracy and election assistance in the field.

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