Maxwell A. Cameron

Professor
location_on Liu Institute for Global Issues 101
file_download Download CV
Education

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1989.


About

Maxwell A. Cameron specializes in comparative politics (Latin America), constitutionalism, democracy, and political ethics. He is the author or editor of a dozen academic books as well as over sixty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His books include: Democracy and Authoritarianism in PeruThe Peruvian LabyrinthThe Political Economy of North American Free TradeTo Walk Without Fear: The Global Movement to Ban LandminesLatin America’s Left Turns: Politics, Policies and Trajectories of ChangeDemocracia en la Region AndinaNew Institutions for Participatory Democracy in Latin AmericaThe Making of NAFTAStrong Constitutions, Political Institutions and Practical Wisdom  and Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis.

Cameron has held visiting positions in the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame University (1996) and at Yale University, where he was the Canadian Bicentennial Professor in 2005. In 2006 he served as political advisor to the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Peru. He founded the “Andean Democracy Research Network” to monitor and report on the state of democracy in the Andean region which received funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Martha Piper Fund, SSHRC, IDRC and the Ford Foundation. He participated in a research excellence cluster on the “global challenges to democracy.” He has served as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, in which capacity he co-created the Institute for Future Legislators. He has also served as Acting Director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and as a Trustee of the Board of the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. In 2011-12 he was a Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, and in 2013 he was awarded a UBC Killam Teaching Prize. Cameron is a frequent commentator on politics in the media and has provided advice to policymakers on topics such as electoral reform, citizen engagement, and the defense of democracy in Latin America. In his spare time he enjoys kayaking in the Burrard Inlet, skiing on the local mountains, and diving in Howe Sound. He blogs about practical wisdom.

Professor Maxwell A. Cameron is jointly appointed with Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA). In 2020 Cameron was named a Distinguished Fellow by the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He was the recipient of the 2022 Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship by the Latin American Studies Association for his work on democracy in Latin America.


Teaching


Research

Comparative Politics|Latin America


Publications

Recent Publications

“A Tale of Two Crashes: Pandemic Poliitics in Peru and Brazil,” Latin American Perspectives. (with Paolo Sosa-Villagarcia, Veronica Hurtado and Marsilea Gombata) July 2023.

“¿Vive América Latina un segundo ciclo de política de izquierda?” (“Is Latin America Experiencing a Second Cycle of Leftist Politics?”) Política y Gobierno, (with Agustín Goenaga) Vol. 30, no. 1, 2023: 1-27.

“Improving the response to future pandemics requires an improved understanding of the role played by institutions, politics, organization, and governance.” PLOS Global Public Health Vol. 3, no. 1, 2023: e0001501. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001501 (with Berman P, Gaurav S, Gotsadze G, Hasan MZ, Jenei K, et al.)

“Partisanship and Political Learning: Lessons from a Training Program for Politicians,” with Alessandra Ribeiro, Gerald Baier, Spencer McKay, Rebecca Monnerat, Catherine Ann Cameron, Journal of Political Science Education, Vol 19, no. 1, 2022. pp. 154-173. DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070

Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis. (Edited with Grace Jaramillo). Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2022.

“Endogenous Hybridity: Regime Change in Venezuela (1998-2020),” Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Vol. 47, no 1. 2022, pp. 140-159 (with Marsílea Gombata, 60/40 contribution). DOI: 10.1080/08263663.2022.2002666

“The Return of Oligarchy: Threats to Representative Democracy in Latin America,” Third World Quarterly, 2021. DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2020.1865794.

“Pathways to Inclusion in Latin America,” in Kapiszewski, Diana, Steve Levitsky, Deborah Yashar, eds. The Inclusionary Turn in Contemporary Latin America. Cambridge University Press, 2021, pp. 401-433.

“Modes of Oligarchic Rule in Latin America,” in Joe Foweraker, Oligarchy in the Americas: Comparing Oligarchic Rule in Latin America and the United States (chapter co-authored with Joe Foweraker). New York: Palgrave (Pivot series), 2021, pp. 33-58.

To download publications, click here or here.

 Invited Presentations and Conferences (2023)

“Revisiting O’Donnell in an Era of Democratic Backsliding,” International Political Science Association, Buenos Aires, July 16, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“’Other Epistemologies’ and the Question of Universalism,” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“El pensamiento de Guillermo O’Donnell. Afinidad con la escuela de Desarrollo Humano”, in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 11, 2023 (online).

“La democracia latinoamericana: Buena ciudadanía y el florecimiento humano en una era de múltiples crisis” in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 10, 2023 (online). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8zwJ-DArNg

“Prospects for Democracy in Latin America,” Group of 78 Webinar, moderated by Laura Macdonald and convened by Roy Culpepper. May 4, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUMEGpcs_8o&t=1s

“Democracy in Latin America: Crises and Contradictions,” Canadian International Council, Victoria Chapter, March 15, 2023. Victoria, BC.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” CERLAC, York University, and CALACS sponsored webinar, February 8, 2023 (with Grace Jaramillo). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONnl4dLmfg

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation, sponsored by Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, January 13, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C. January 12, 2023.


Awards

Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship, Latin American Studies Association, 2022.

Distinguished Fellow, Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, 2020.

UBC Killam Teaching Prize, 2012-2013.

Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, 2011-2012

President, Vancouver Institute (2012-2013)

Honourary Professor, Universidad San Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru, 2012


Graduate Supervision

Cameron is currently supervising a number of doctoral students working on Latin American politics, including Paolo SosaVeronica Hurtado, as well as MA student Tania Massicotte.

 


Additional Description

POLI220 Introduction to Comparative Politics

A comparative analysis of foreign governments. Specific countries to be covered will vary according to section; consult the brochure issued by the Department.

POLI424 Ethics in Democratic Politics 

Ethics in politics, including citizenship and public service, and practices demanded by the institutions of democracy.

POLI523B Political Thought 


Maxwell A. Cameron

Professor
location_on Liu Institute for Global Issues 101
file_download Download CV
Education

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1989.


About

Maxwell A. Cameron specializes in comparative politics (Latin America), constitutionalism, democracy, and political ethics. He is the author or editor of a dozen academic books as well as over sixty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His books include: Democracy and Authoritarianism in PeruThe Peruvian LabyrinthThe Political Economy of North American Free TradeTo Walk Without Fear: The Global Movement to Ban LandminesLatin America’s Left Turns: Politics, Policies and Trajectories of ChangeDemocracia en la Region AndinaNew Institutions for Participatory Democracy in Latin AmericaThe Making of NAFTAStrong Constitutions, Political Institutions and Practical Wisdom  and Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis.

Cameron has held visiting positions in the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame University (1996) and at Yale University, where he was the Canadian Bicentennial Professor in 2005. In 2006 he served as political advisor to the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Peru. He founded the “Andean Democracy Research Network” to monitor and report on the state of democracy in the Andean region which received funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Martha Piper Fund, SSHRC, IDRC and the Ford Foundation. He participated in a research excellence cluster on the “global challenges to democracy.” He has served as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, in which capacity he co-created the Institute for Future Legislators. He has also served as Acting Director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and as a Trustee of the Board of the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. In 2011-12 he was a Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, and in 2013 he was awarded a UBC Killam Teaching Prize. Cameron is a frequent commentator on politics in the media and has provided advice to policymakers on topics such as electoral reform, citizen engagement, and the defense of democracy in Latin America. In his spare time he enjoys kayaking in the Burrard Inlet, skiing on the local mountains, and diving in Howe Sound. He blogs about practical wisdom.

Professor Maxwell A. Cameron is jointly appointed with Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA). In 2020 Cameron was named a Distinguished Fellow by the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He was the recipient of the 2022 Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship by the Latin American Studies Association for his work on democracy in Latin America.


Teaching


Research

Comparative Politics|Latin America


Publications

Recent Publications

“A Tale of Two Crashes: Pandemic Poliitics in Peru and Brazil,” Latin American Perspectives. (with Paolo Sosa-Villagarcia, Veronica Hurtado and Marsilea Gombata) July 2023.

“¿Vive América Latina un segundo ciclo de política de izquierda?” (“Is Latin America Experiencing a Second Cycle of Leftist Politics?”) Política y Gobierno, (with Agustín Goenaga) Vol. 30, no. 1, 2023: 1-27.

“Improving the response to future pandemics requires an improved understanding of the role played by institutions, politics, organization, and governance.” PLOS Global Public Health Vol. 3, no. 1, 2023: e0001501. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001501 (with Berman P, Gaurav S, Gotsadze G, Hasan MZ, Jenei K, et al.)

“Partisanship and Political Learning: Lessons from a Training Program for Politicians,” with Alessandra Ribeiro, Gerald Baier, Spencer McKay, Rebecca Monnerat, Catherine Ann Cameron, Journal of Political Science Education, Vol 19, no. 1, 2022. pp. 154-173. DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070

Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis. (Edited with Grace Jaramillo). Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2022.

“Endogenous Hybridity: Regime Change in Venezuela (1998-2020),” Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Vol. 47, no 1. 2022, pp. 140-159 (with Marsílea Gombata, 60/40 contribution). DOI: 10.1080/08263663.2022.2002666

“The Return of Oligarchy: Threats to Representative Democracy in Latin America,” Third World Quarterly, 2021. DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2020.1865794.

“Pathways to Inclusion in Latin America,” in Kapiszewski, Diana, Steve Levitsky, Deborah Yashar, eds. The Inclusionary Turn in Contemporary Latin America. Cambridge University Press, 2021, pp. 401-433.

“Modes of Oligarchic Rule in Latin America,” in Joe Foweraker, Oligarchy in the Americas: Comparing Oligarchic Rule in Latin America and the United States (chapter co-authored with Joe Foweraker). New York: Palgrave (Pivot series), 2021, pp. 33-58.

To download publications, click here or here.

 Invited Presentations and Conferences (2023)

“Revisiting O’Donnell in an Era of Democratic Backsliding,” International Political Science Association, Buenos Aires, July 16, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“’Other Epistemologies’ and the Question of Universalism,” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“El pensamiento de Guillermo O’Donnell. Afinidad con la escuela de Desarrollo Humano”, in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 11, 2023 (online).

“La democracia latinoamericana: Buena ciudadanía y el florecimiento humano en una era de múltiples crisis” in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 10, 2023 (online). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8zwJ-DArNg

“Prospects for Democracy in Latin America,” Group of 78 Webinar, moderated by Laura Macdonald and convened by Roy Culpepper. May 4, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUMEGpcs_8o&t=1s

“Democracy in Latin America: Crises and Contradictions,” Canadian International Council, Victoria Chapter, March 15, 2023. Victoria, BC.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” CERLAC, York University, and CALACS sponsored webinar, February 8, 2023 (with Grace Jaramillo). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONnl4dLmfg

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation, sponsored by Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, January 13, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C. January 12, 2023.


Awards

Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship, Latin American Studies Association, 2022.

Distinguished Fellow, Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, 2020.

UBC Killam Teaching Prize, 2012-2013.

Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, 2011-2012

President, Vancouver Institute (2012-2013)

Honourary Professor, Universidad San Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru, 2012


Graduate Supervision

Cameron is currently supervising a number of doctoral students working on Latin American politics, including Paolo SosaVeronica Hurtado, as well as MA student Tania Massicotte.

 


Additional Description

POLI220 Introduction to Comparative Politics

A comparative analysis of foreign governments. Specific countries to be covered will vary according to section; consult the brochure issued by the Department.

POLI424 Ethics in Democratic Politics 

Ethics in politics, including citizenship and public service, and practices demanded by the institutions of democracy.

POLI523B Political Thought 


Maxwell A. Cameron

Professor
location_on Liu Institute for Global Issues 101
Education

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1989.

file_download Download CV
About keyboard_arrow_down

Maxwell A. Cameron specializes in comparative politics (Latin America), constitutionalism, democracy, and political ethics. He is the author or editor of a dozen academic books as well as over sixty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His books include: Democracy and Authoritarianism in PeruThe Peruvian LabyrinthThe Political Economy of North American Free TradeTo Walk Without Fear: The Global Movement to Ban LandminesLatin America’s Left Turns: Politics, Policies and Trajectories of ChangeDemocracia en la Region AndinaNew Institutions for Participatory Democracy in Latin AmericaThe Making of NAFTAStrong Constitutions, Political Institutions and Practical Wisdom  and Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis.

Cameron has held visiting positions in the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame University (1996) and at Yale University, where he was the Canadian Bicentennial Professor in 2005. In 2006 he served as political advisor to the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Peru. He founded the “Andean Democracy Research Network” to monitor and report on the state of democracy in the Andean region which received funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Martha Piper Fund, SSHRC, IDRC and the Ford Foundation. He participated in a research excellence cluster on the “global challenges to democracy.” He has served as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, in which capacity he co-created the Institute for Future Legislators. He has also served as Acting Director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and as a Trustee of the Board of the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. In 2011-12 he was a Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, and in 2013 he was awarded a UBC Killam Teaching Prize. Cameron is a frequent commentator on politics in the media and has provided advice to policymakers on topics such as electoral reform, citizen engagement, and the defense of democracy in Latin America. In his spare time he enjoys kayaking in the Burrard Inlet, skiing on the local mountains, and diving in Howe Sound. He blogs about practical wisdom.

Professor Maxwell A. Cameron is jointly appointed with Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA). In 2020 Cameron was named a Distinguished Fellow by the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He was the recipient of the 2022 Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship by the Latin American Studies Association for his work on democracy in Latin America.

Teaching keyboard_arrow_down
Research keyboard_arrow_down

Comparative Politics|Latin America

Publications keyboard_arrow_down

Recent Publications

“A Tale of Two Crashes: Pandemic Poliitics in Peru and Brazil,” Latin American Perspectives. (with Paolo Sosa-Villagarcia, Veronica Hurtado and Marsilea Gombata) July 2023.

“¿Vive América Latina un segundo ciclo de política de izquierda?” (“Is Latin America Experiencing a Second Cycle of Leftist Politics?”) Política y Gobierno, (with Agustín Goenaga) Vol. 30, no. 1, 2023: 1-27.

“Improving the response to future pandemics requires an improved understanding of the role played by institutions, politics, organization, and governance.” PLOS Global Public Health Vol. 3, no. 1, 2023: e0001501. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001501 (with Berman P, Gaurav S, Gotsadze G, Hasan MZ, Jenei K, et al.)

“Partisanship and Political Learning: Lessons from a Training Program for Politicians,” with Alessandra Ribeiro, Gerald Baier, Spencer McKay, Rebecca Monnerat, Catherine Ann Cameron, Journal of Political Science Education, Vol 19, no. 1, 2022. pp. 154-173. DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2022.2130070

Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis. (Edited with Grace Jaramillo). Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2022.

“Endogenous Hybridity: Regime Change in Venezuela (1998-2020),” Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Vol. 47, no 1. 2022, pp. 140-159 (with Marsílea Gombata, 60/40 contribution). DOI: 10.1080/08263663.2022.2002666

“The Return of Oligarchy: Threats to Representative Democracy in Latin America,” Third World Quarterly, 2021. DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2020.1865794.

“Pathways to Inclusion in Latin America,” in Kapiszewski, Diana, Steve Levitsky, Deborah Yashar, eds. The Inclusionary Turn in Contemporary Latin America. Cambridge University Press, 2021, pp. 401-433.

“Modes of Oligarchic Rule in Latin America,” in Joe Foweraker, Oligarchy in the Americas: Comparing Oligarchic Rule in Latin America and the United States (chapter co-authored with Joe Foweraker). New York: Palgrave (Pivot series), 2021, pp. 33-58.

To download publications, click here or here.

 Invited Presentations and Conferences (2023)

“Revisiting O’Donnell in an Era of Democratic Backsliding,” International Political Science Association, Buenos Aires, July 16, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“’Other Epistemologies’ and the Question of Universalism,” Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, May 26, 2023.

“El pensamiento de Guillermo O’Donnell. Afinidad con la escuela de Desarrollo Humano”, in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 11, 2023 (online).

“La democracia latinoamericana: Buena ciudadanía y el florecimiento humano en una era de múltiples crisis” in a conference on “Desarrollo Humano y democracia en tiempos inciertos. Desafíos para el Estado y la sociedad. Aportes conceptuales y metodológicos”, FLACSO Argentina, May 10, 2023 (online). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8zwJ-DArNg

“Prospects for Democracy in Latin America,” Group of 78 Webinar, moderated by Laura Macdonald and convened by Roy Culpepper. May 4, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUMEGpcs_8o&t=1s

“Democracy in Latin America: Crises and Contradictions,” Canadian International Council, Victoria Chapter, March 15, 2023. Victoria, BC.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” CERLAC, York University, and CALACS sponsored webinar, February 8, 2023 (with Grace Jaramillo). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONnl4dLmfg

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation, sponsored by Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, January 13, 2023.

“Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis,” book presentation sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C. January 12, 2023.

Awards keyboard_arrow_down

Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship, Latin American Studies Association, 2022.

Distinguished Fellow, Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, 2020.

UBC Killam Teaching Prize, 2012-2013.

Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, 2011-2012

President, Vancouver Institute (2012-2013)

Honourary Professor, Universidad San Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru, 2012

Graduate Supervision keyboard_arrow_down

Cameron is currently supervising a number of doctoral students working on Latin American politics, including Paolo SosaVeronica Hurtado, as well as MA student Tania Massicotte.

 

Additional Description keyboard_arrow_down

POLI220 Introduction to Comparative Politics

A comparative analysis of foreign governments. Specific countries to be covered will vary according to section; consult the brochure issued by the Department.

POLI424 Ethics in Democratic Politics 

Ethics in politics, including citizenship and public service, and practices demanded by the institutions of democracy.

POLI523B Political Thought