Guillermo O’DonnellO’Donnell Receives Honorary Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Senior Fellow Guillermo O’Donnell received an honorary degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) in July in recognition of his immense contributions to contemporary political science.

“[His] work has had a strong impact worldwide,” affirmed former Visiting Fellow Catalina Romero, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

In O’Donnell’s address to students, he stressed the importance of intellectuals and the university as agents of dialogue and diffusion of ideas.

“One does not choose which topics to analyze, one is chosen by a problem through the concern that it produces in the people,” said O’Donnell, known especially for his work on transitions to democracy from authoritarian regimes.

“O’Donnell is probably the political scientist with the most international prestige and the one who has done the most to contribute to the development of political science in Latin America,” commented Sinesio Lopez Jimenez, professor of social sciences at PUCP. “In his dazzling erudition, his originality always stands out.”