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"Do the Poor Count?"
Democratic Institutions and Accountability in a Context of Poverty

On April 3, 2006 Dr. Michelle Taylor-Robinson, Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M presented a talk titled "Do the Poor Count? Democratic Institutions and Accountability in a Context of Poverty." Professor Taylor argued that informal institutions often provide a vehicle through which poor Latin Americans can hold their elected officials accountable. While imperfect, such institutions have increased the effectiveness of Latin America’s emerging democracies. Scholars must pay closer attention to these informal institutions in measuring or evaluating democracy in Latin America. The talk was followed by lively questions and answers.

Dr. Michelle M. Taylor-Robinson’s research combines a soft rational choice approach with intensive interviewing of political elites in Costa Rica and Honduras.  She is writing a book that explores when it is rational for members of Latin American legislatures to represent poor people (who often constitute a majority of the population), versus when doing so is likely to harm their political careers.   An underlying theme of all her projects is how institutional design affects representation and the chances for consolidation of democracy.

Author:  Negotiating Democracy, with Gretchen Casper (U. of Pittsburgh Press); research published in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Electoral Studies, Party Politics, and the Journal of Legislative Studies.