Tag Archives: Training

Embedded Scholars Win Democracy Research Award

Fellows in the UT Government Department’s Embedded Scholars Program won an award for their research conducted in the spring Embedded Scholars class prepping them for field work in democracy assistance. 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.”

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Fellows Share Research on Participation, Culture, and Democratic Resilience

The 2024 fellows 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 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.

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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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Learning across Cultures

By Alexys Aquino

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

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. 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 the Comparative Constitutions Project to design a new deliberative consultation framework to research public views on constitutional issues.

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UT, IDEA 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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