Research

My research examines how authoritarian legacies shape political and economic life long after authoritarian regimes have ended. I am especially interested in the persistence of authoritarian parties and elites, the challenges of democratic consolidation, and the ways democratic institutions can weaken over time. Though my empirical research focuses on Latin America, my research engages with broad debates about democracy, institutional change, and political development.

My work combines archival research, high-profile elite interviews, statistical analysis, and data visualization. Over the course of my research, I have conducted numerous interviews with political leaders, military officers, journalists, academics, and civil society leaders in Peru and Chile.

Publications

• Albertus, Michael, and Mark Deming. 2021. “Branching out: Consequences of the dispersion of authoritarian elites across state and government in Latin America.” Democratization 28(3), 539–561.
• Albertus, Michael, and Mark Deming. 2019. “Pinochet still looms large in Chilean politics.” Foreign Policy, November 5.