Scott Mainwaring

Scott Mainwaring is the Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, affiliated with the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. His research focuses on democratization, political parties, party systems, and Latin American politics. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2010, he was listed among the 50 most cited political scientists worldwide in 2019 and as the most cited scholar on Latin American politics in 2020.

Mainwaring's scholarly work examines democratic emergence, survival, and breakdown, with regional expertise in Latin America. He pioneered frameworks for analyzing party system institutionalization and authoritarian resilience, blending theoretical innovation with empirical rigor through comparative case studies. His research consistently addresses how institutions mediate democratic stability amid economic crises and elite conflicts.

His recent publications (2022-2025) reveal intensified focus on democratic decay mechanisms, presidential power encroachments, and institutional survival strategies across Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. Key trends include cross-regional analysis of democratic backsliding, judicial defense of democracy, and the interplay between economic volatility and authoritarian resurgence.

Notable honors include:

• Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2010)
• Top 50 most cited political scientists globally (2019)
• Dual recognition as most cited Latin American politics and political institutions scholar (2020)
• Concurrent Best Book Prizes from APSA and LASA (2013)
• James C. Burns Graduate Teaching Award (2005)
• Notre Dame Research Achievement Award (2013)
• Kellogg Institute Undergraduate Mentoring Prize (2016)

Mainwaring's mentorship excellence is evidenced by dual awards for graduate and undergraduate supervision, including leadership of Harvard's Brazil Studies program (2016-2019). His research is supported by sustained institutional affiliations and major academic publishers, though specific grant details remain unpublicized in source materials.

As a Kellogg Institute core faculty member, he drives interdisciplinary research on global democracy through collaborative networks spanning Latin America and North America, focusing on institutional responses to democratic crises and authoritarian challenges.