The 2024–25 academic year marked the launch of the Democracy, Governance, Institutions, and Rights (DGIR) Workshop, a new working group at the Kellogg Institute. This new initiative was created in response to the growing ranks of comparative politics scholars at Notre Dame and a shared desire to foster greater intellectual and social connectivity across campus. In just its first year, the DGIR Workshop has become a vibrant hub for collaboration, research exchange, and community-building.
With nearly three dozen comparative politics scholars now at Notre Dame, spanning the College of Arts and Letters and the Keough School of Global Affairs, the timing was ideal for a new forum. The DGIR Workshop, guided by a dedicated steering committee and coordinated by Kellogg director Aníbal Pérez-Liñán (Fall 2024) and Kellogg faculty fellow Kyle Jaros (Spring 2025), set out to bridge departmental lines and bring together faculty, staff, and doctoral students interested in democracy, governance, institutions, and rights.
The workshop’s format alternated between public presentations of advanced research and more informal, faculty-only discussions of work-in-progress. Meetings were scheduled at varying times – some over lunch, others in the late afternoon followed by happy hour – to accommodate diverse schedules and maximize participation. This flexibility, along with a welcoming atmosphere, quickly attracted strong attendance and engagement.
Highlights from the year included a February mini-panel featuring Keough School faculty members Laura Gamboa and Marc Jacob, Kellogg faculty fellows who discussed the dynamics of democratic backsliding and resilience outside the United States, drawing connections to contemporary US politics. Their session included brief presentations, a moderated discussion, and lively Q&A, followed by an informal happy hour. In April, the workshop welcomed Kellogg faculty fellow Jazmin Sierra, of the Department of Political Science, for a talk on her forthcoming book, Globalized State Capitalism, which explores government-led strategies to promote outward investment by domestic multinational corporations. Both events sparked thoughtful debate and fostered new connections among participants.
Community-building has been central to the DGIR Workshop’s mission. The tradition of gathering for happy hour after seminars quickly became a highlight, providing a relaxed space for participants to continue conversations and strengthen professional relationships.
As its inaugural year draws to a close, the DGIR Workshop has established itself as a cornerstone of Notre Dame’s scholarly life in comparative politics and governance. With enthusiastic participation and strong institutional support, the workshop is poised for continued growth – welcoming new voices, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and building bridges across campus.