Decreasing incumbent capacity and affective polarization are making incumbency salient, but also more of a curse than a blessing.

Luis Schiumerini

In this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with Notre Dame political scientist Luis Schiumerini about his new book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin America. Schiumerini challenges common assumptions about incumbents, demonstrating that holding office can create systematic advantages – or disadvantages – depending on the institutional context. Before the conversation begins, Kellogg Doctoral Student Affiliate Tomás Gianibelli joins Kempf to share his experience working with Schiumerini and to explain why this research reshapes how scholars think about democracy.

The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Read the full transcript here.

Key Highlights

Introduction - 0:20
What is Incumbency Bias - 6:06
Incumbency Disadvantage on the Rise - 23:58
Term Limits - 31:39
Implications for Democracy - 36:52

Links:

Learn more about Luis Schiumerini

Learn more about his book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin America

Learn more about Tomás Gianibelli

Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.

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