“If we want democracy to survive into the next century, then we really need to understand the conditions for that process,” said Aníbal Pérez Liñán, professor of political science and global affairs at the University of Notre Dame.
Liñán studies the role of political institutions in the process of democratization, particularly in Latin America. His research finds that political leaders or parties are central to the success of a democracy, as opposed to the economic or structural conditions of a country.
“It’s the commitment of those actors to democratic values that ultimately matters when democracies are in trouble,” he said.
Liñán feels at home in the College of Arts and Letters and the Keough School of Global Affairs, particularly with the University’s long tradition of studying democratization.
“The University, because of its Catholic tradition, has a very strong commitment to produce research that matters, that is relevant for people in the real world,” he said. “Notre Dame is the perfect place for my research.”
You can also watch this video on YouTube.
Originally published by at al.nd.edu on September 24, 2019.