I am a research fellow at the University of Pisa. I work in the fields of comparative politics and political economy, with a regional focus on Latin America. My research examines contemporary challenges to democracy, with a focus on political accountability, corruption, environmental degradation and emerging authoritarian threats. My research has been published or is forthcoming in the Journal of Democracy, Governance, Government & Opposition, among other outlets.
I am currently writing a book that examines how political elites’ reactions shape the effects of anti-corruption investigations and convictions in Brazil. I am also engaged in collaborative cross-national projects that investigate why and when national elites are prosecuted for corruption and other crimes, and how such prosecutions influence democratic institutions. My research also explores how courts respond to authoritarian pressures, how nepotism operates within political bargaining, and how parties circumvent electoral-fraud safeguards. A related line of research investigates how favoritism, lobbying, and institutional failures in the rule of law drive deforestation and industrial emissions. Beyond my cross-national and Brazil-focused work, I have also conducted research on Colombia and El Salvador.
I received my PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I hold a Masters in Economics from Bocconi University, a Masters in International Relations: Political Economy of Development from the Barcelona Institute of International Studies (IBEI) and a BA in Economics from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). I previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Bocconi University and at the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR).
Contact: manoel.gehrke (at) gmail.com
Manoel Gehrke 