Current Research
Ph.D. Political Science, University of Montreal
Democracy, political parties and decentralization in the Andean region
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Alberto Vergara Paniagua
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2008 Trudeau Scholar
alberto.vergara@trudeaufoundation.net
Profile
Alberto Vergara is a Peruvian student committed to many aspects of Latin American politics and society. He has worked in public and private Peruvian institutions on issues of human rights, democracy building, decentralization, and transparency.
Alberto Vergara's research focuses on democracy in Latin America. In particular, he is interested in some de-democratisation processes of contemporary Latin American politics. "Even though traditional 'coup d'état' no longer appear in the continent, some countries suffer a new kind of authoritarianism. Why do some countries suffer this way and others do not?" he asks. His research deals with the institutionalisation of democracy, and the emergence of new kinds of authoritarianism. To explain these large phenomena, he concentrates on decentralization and political parties.
In 2007, he published the book "Ni Amnésicos ni Irracionales. Las elecciones peruanas de 2006 en perspectiva histórica" (Neither Amnesiac nor Irrational: the 2006 Peruvian Elections in their Historical Perspective). In the book, he explains the way in which citizens vote in Peru. He focuses especially on historical and institutional variables. The essay, which was given an award by the Universidad Católica del Peru, has been extensively read in Peru and sold out its first edition.
Current Residence
Lima, PeruLanguages
Spanish, French, English, PortugueseDegrees
- Bachelor of Law, Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru
- Diploma of Complementary Studies in Comparative Politics, Université Catholique de Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
- Diploma of Advanced Studies in Political Science, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Current Research
Democracy, political parties and decentralization in the Andean region
Since democracy returned to Latin America in the 1980s, the focus has been on creating conditions to reinforce it. The strength and stability of the party system is key. But since the early 2000s, the party systems in several Andean countries have crumbled, rendering democracy increasingly fragile. Why are political parties struggling in some countries and not in others? Alberto Vergara Paniagua's doctoral research will attempt to answer this question.
Past Research
- Weakness of Political Parties in Peru in the Post-Fujimori Period
- Historical Perspective of the 2006 Electoral Process in Peru
Awards
- Excellence Award from the University of Montreal
- First Prize in the "La Red Para el Estudio de Ciencias Sociales" Essay Contest, Lima, Peru
Social Engagement
- Electoral Observations
- General Political Culture Workshops at the High School Level
Work Experience
- Lecturer on Latin America, Political Science Department, University of Montreal
- Coordinator of the Latin America Integration Course, Department of Hispanic Studies, University of Montreal
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