Comparative Politics
Since the mid-1990s, Brazilian Studies at Oxford has sponsored an active programme of research on the quality and sustainability of Brazils post-1985 democratic regime. Topics include: democratic consolidation, the design of political institutions, parties and elections, and political culture and public opinion in contemporary Brazil.
Coordinated by Dr Timothy J. Power, University Lecturer in Brazilian Studies, this research programme normally sponsors several workshops and hosts prominent visitors each year through the BSP.
Recent workshops include: Is Political Reform Necessary in Brazil? (May 2006, co-organized by Dr Jairo Nicolau), Democracy and Citizen Distrust of Public Institutions: Brazil in Comparative Perspective (June 2007, co-organized by Prof José Álvaro Moisés and Dr Rachel Meneguello), Political Corruption and Accountability Institutions in Brazil (May 2008, co-organized by Dr Matthew Taylor), and Political Consequences of Declining Inequality in Brazil (December 2010, co-organised by Dr. Diego Sánchez-Ancochea).
The Latin American Centre/Brazilian Studies Programme is home to three academics who have published widely about aspects of Brazilian politics: Professor Joe Foweraker, Professor Leigh A. Payne and Dr Timothy J. Power. They work in close collaboration with Mr Laurence Whitehead (Nuffield College) whose research focuses on democratisation in Latin America. Each academic year, normally in Michaelmas Term, Dr Power offers a series of lectures on Politics of Brazil through the Masters programmes at the Latin American Centre. He offers supervision on Brazilian topics in these programmes and also in the Department of Politics, at the DPhil level and also in the MPhil in Comparative Government.