Democratic Institutions in Latin America

Since the third wave of democratisation surged in Latin America 30–40 years ago, the region has remained one of the most democratic in the world – a remarkable achievement considering a past marked by dictators and political instability. But the ways that democracy has manifested vary substantially. Especially in the last decade, concerns have been raised regarding public disenchantment, diminishing levels of institutional quality, and democratic backsliding. In 2019 a wave of public protests across the region brought those discontent with the status quo to the streets, where diverse grievances were aired, particularly ones related to inequality, injustice, and corruption. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the already existing hardships and the ongoing crisis of representation, putting further pressure on the functioning of democratic institutions and creating opportunities for power concentration and authoritarian experiments.

This workshop is jointly organised by the GIGA and the University of Erfurt within the framework of the DEMINGS project (Leibniz Foundation). It brings together renowned European and Latin American scholars to discuss and present their most recent research on the state of democratic institutions in Latin America. The workshop will discuss the written contributions, which are meant to be published in an edited volume at a later stage. More details can be found in the workshop programme.