The Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame is proud to announce its incoming cohort of visiting fellows for the 2026-27 academic year. Selected through a highly competitive process that attracts top-tier applicants from across the globe, these ten scholars working on critical issues of democracy will join a tradition of rigorous research that has defined the institute since its founding in 1983.
"We are pleased to welcome these researchers, whose diverse projects on global democracy complement the ongoing work of our resident faculty and students," said Guadalupe Ramirez, senior program manager of visiting fellowships and graduate student affairs. "Their insights will add to the vibrant intellectual exchange that has been a hallmark of the Kellogg Institute for decades."
Visiting Fellows
The following senior scholars will join the Kellogg community to advance their specific areas of expertise:
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Risa Brooks (Allis Chalmers Professor of Political Science, Marquette University): Her project, “Politicization of the Military in Eroding Democracies,” explores how leaders in declining democracies seek to turn the military into a partisan ally to facilitate democratic backsliding. This is a joint appointment with the O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center. Academic Year.
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Patrick Cunha Silva (Assistant Professor of Political Science, Loyola University Chicago): He will utilize a simulation-based approach to measure the effectiveness of electoral quotas, evaluating how institutional design impacts the representation of marginalized groups. Fall 2026.
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Amanda B. Edgell (Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Kentucky): Through the Authoritarian Leadership Project (ALP), she will examine how the unique backgrounds and legacies of individual leaders shape the survival or decline of democracy worldwide. Spring 2027.
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Jorge Mangonnet (Assistant Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University): His book project, “Law of the Landless,” investigates how the abolition of slavery in plantation economies prompted elites to support the creation of private property rights over rural land. Spring 2027.
- Natalia Sobrevilla Perea (Researcher, Instituto Riva Agüero, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú): She will research how mid-nineteenth-century civil wars in Latin America influenced political life and led to the creation of new constitutional frameworks. Fall 2026.
Postdoctoral Visiting Fellows
These early-career scholars represent the next generation of researchers focusing on critical global democracy issues:
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Fabio Angiolillo (PhD, University of Hong Kong): His project, "Authoritarian Political Parties: Attacking Democracies and Defending Autocracies," uses a new spatial dataset to analyze how authoritarian parties impact governance and stability at national and subnational levels. Academic Year.
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Saloni Bhogale (PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison): She will investigate how local democratic institutions in the Global South maintain the rule of law through increased accountability and improved citizen trust. Academic Year.
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Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez (PhD, Harvard University): His research explores organized crime's influence on elections in Central America and Mexico. Academic Year.
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Madai Urteaga Quispe (PhD, Harvard University): Her research on "Agrarian Developmentalism" examines how party systems and rural producers' legislative strength shape government support for agriculture in Latin America. Academic Year.
Hewlett Visiting Fellow for Public Policy
Hewlett Fellows are distinguished practitioners and scholars whose work bridges academic research and the implementation of public policy.
- Paola Bautista de Alemán: As the Hewlett Fellow, she will continue her project, “Political Resilience: Democracy, Backsliding Democracies, and New Authoritarianisms,” focusing on creating democratic awareness and strengthening democratic values, and she plans to continue her political advocacy on behalf of democracy in her native Venezuela. Academic Year.
Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez, Madai Urteaga Quispe, and Paola Bautista de Alemán are continuing their Kellogg appointments for a second academic year.
As these scholars arrive on campus, they will participate in the institute's rich intellectual life, including seminars and collaborative working groups. Their presence reinforces the Kellogg Institute’s ongoing commitment to fostering an international community of scholars dedicated to excellence in the study of global democracy.
The Kellogg Institute, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, is a leading center for interdisciplinary research dedicated to understanding, strengthening, and renewing democracy worldwide.