Updated: September 26, 2009
Aldo Fernando Ponce Ugolini
Department of Political Science, University of Houston
afponce@mail.uh.edu
Current Position
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Research assistant, Department of Political Science, University of Houston.
Education
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University of Houston (Houston, Texas) PhD. student in Political Science, 2007-2009.
Expected graduation date: May 2011.
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University of Connecticut (Storrs, Connecticut) Master of Arts in Economics, 2007.
“Openness and Foreign Direct Investment: The Role of Free Trade Agreements in Latin
America.”
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University of Connecticut (Storrs, Connecticut) Master of Arts in International Studies,
2005. “Unemployment and Clientelism: The Piqueteros of Argentina”
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Universidad del Pacífico (Lima, Peru), B.S. with Honors, major in Economics, 2000.
"Introducing Institutional and Market Reforms for Improving the Quality of Education in
Peru"
Other Education Experience
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The Baltic Sea School at Berlin Humboldt University in Germany, the Centre for Baltic
Studies at Copenhagen University in Denmark, and the Baltic Sea Region Studies
programme at the University of Turku. International Summer School in Baltic Sea Region
Studies, July 2006-August 2006.
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Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Seminar in Politics of the Peronist
Government (1945-1955), June 2004-July 2004.
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The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. International
Workshop on Democracies and Dictatorships, March 2003.
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National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad, India. Certificate in Rural
Development (Rural Industry), October 2002 – November 2002.
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Vidzeme University College, Valmiera, Latvia. Certificate in Politics and Economy of the
Baltic countries. July 2002.
Publications
I.- Refereed journal articles
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“Who Gives? Political Donations in Institutional and Cultural Context.” (revise and resubmit,
European Journal of Political Research with Susan Scarrow).
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 “Apertura comercial e inversión directa extranjera: el impacto de los tratados de libre
comercio en Latinoamérica” Revista Apuntes, No. 58-59.
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“Unemployment and Opportunism: The Piquetero movement.” Journal of Interdisciplinary
and Multidisciplinary Research, 2007, Vol. 1, Issue 2.
Under Review
2. “Legislative Dimensions of Partisan Competition in Volatile Non-ideological Party
Systems: An Analysis of the Peruvian Congress” (under review -- with Eduardo Alemán and
Iñaki Sagarzazu)
 “Foreign Direct Investment and Civil Rights: Testing Decreasing Returns to Civil Rights in
Eastern Europe and Latin America” (under review).
II.- Refereed Research Notes
 ““Risk” in the 2000 Mexican Election: Short and Long Term Effects in Enhancing
Opposition Vote Propensity” (revise and resubmit, Latin American Research Review -- with
Brandon Rottinghaus and Amalia Mena-Mora).
Under Review

“Reexamining the Two Step Model: A Research Note" (under review -- with Brandon
Rottinghaus and Amalia Mena-Mora).
III.- Book Chapters
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“From Cardoso to Lula: The Triumph of Pragmatism in Brazil” (forthcoming
-- with Peter Kingstone). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
IV.- Book Reviews
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
“The Politics of Property Rights. Political instability, credible commitments, and economic
growth in Mexico, 1876-1929.” (Book Review). Política y Gobierno, 2006. Vol. XIII no. 1.
 “Los Albores de la Economía Americana.” (Book Review). Revista Andina, 1996. Año 14,
no. 2.
V.- Non-refereed articles and working papers
 “Emergence, Organizational Transformations, and Decline of the Piquetero Movement: a
Comparative Institutional Explanation .” University Library of Munich, MRPA Paper No
8748, Online at http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/8748/, 2008.

“Openness and foreign direct investment: the role of free trade agreements in Latin
America.” University Library of Munich, MRPA Paper No 8858, Online at
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/8858/, 2008.
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“Del Monocolor Populista a la Iridiscencia de Estrategias: La Transformación de la
Izquierda Latinoamericana.” Punto de Equilibrio, July-September 2007, Vol. 14, No. 95.
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“The Painful Burden of Health Care Costs” (with Dennis Heffley and William Lott). The
Connecticut Economy, 2007, Vol. 15, Issue Winter.
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“Unemployment and Clientelism: The Piqueteros of Argentina.” University Library of
Munich, MRPA Paper No 4475, Online at http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/4475/, 2007.

“Mr. Hugo Boss: unnecessary cost for Venezuela.” Ariel Newsletter. Fall 2006. [Online at:
http://clacs.uconn.edu/Ariel%20Fall%2006.pdf]
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“¿Los errores de siempre? Los dilemas y desafíos de Lourdes Flores Nano para estas
elecciones.” Peru Election 2006. A public education and scholarly resource on the general
elections in Peru [Online at: http://weblogs.elearning.ubc.ca/peru/archives/022136.php]

“Determinants of Success in the Integration at the Sub-Regional Level: a Comparative
Study between the Andean Community and the Baltic Sea Region.” BaltSeaNet Working
Paper Series, 2/2006.
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“Sub-regional free trade agreements between Latin America and the USA. New important
steps toward more integration in the Americas.” Ariel Newsletter. Fall 2005. [Online at:
http://clacs.uconn.edu/arielFALL05english.pdf]
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"New Politics in Argentina? Opportunism and the Piqueteros." Ariel Newsletter. Fall 2004.
[Online at: http://clacs.uconn.edu/arielFALL04english.pdf]
Conference Participation and Work in Progress
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Conferences and Seminars by Invitation
 “Emergence, Organizational Transformations, and Decline of the Piquetero Movement: a
Comparative Institutional Explanation” Paper to be presented at Wheaton College, Norton,
Massachusetts, April 24, 2009.
 “From Cardoso to Lula: The Triumph of Pragmatic Neoliberalism in Brazil” Paper submitted
for the conference “The Performance of Leftist Governments in Latin America: What Does
the Left Do Right?”, Austin, Texas, March 6-7, 2008 (with Peter Kingstone).
American Political Science Association
 “Meet the Producer: Economic Shocks, Exchange Rate Regimes, and the Politics of
Economic Networks” (with Ernesto Calvo). Paper to be submitted for the American Political
Science Association Conference, Toronto, September 3-6, 2009.
 ““Risk” in the 2000 Mexican Election: Short and Long Term Effects in Enhancing
Opposition Vote Propensity” (with Brandon Rottinghaus and Amalia Mena-Mora). Paper
submitted for the American Political Science Association Conference, Boston, August 28-31,
2008.
Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies
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“Openness and Foreign Direct Investment: The Role of Free Trade Agreements in Latin
America.” Paper submitted for the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean
Studies Conference, Calgary, September 28-30, 2006.
International Studies Association
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“The Costs of Peace: State Commitment to Arm Control, Non Proliferation, and
Disarmament Treaties” (with Isabella Alcaniz). Paper to be submitted for the International
Studies Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, February 17-20, 2010.
Latin American Studies Association
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“Legislative Dimensions of Partisan Competition in Volatile Non-ideological Party
Systems: An Analysis of the Peruvian Congress” (with Eduardo Alemán and Iñaki
Sagarzazu). Paper submitted for the Latin American Studies Association Conference, Rio de
Janeiro, June 11-14, 2009.
“From traditional populism to multiple political strategies: The transformation of the Latin
American Left and its determinants.” Paper submitted for the Latin American Studies
Association Conference, Montreal, September 5-8, 2007.
“Political Institutions, Market Structures, and Performance in the Telecommunications
Sector.” Paper submitted for the Latin American Studies Association Conference, San Juan,
March 15-18, 2006 (with Peter Kingstone and Rebecca Aubrey).
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Midwest Political Science Association
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"Who Gives? Political Donations in Institutional and Cultural Context. " (with Susan
Scarrow). Paper submitted for the 67th Annual Midwest Political Science Association
Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 3-6, 2009.
 "Reexamining the Two Step Model: Emerging Democracy and Declining Party in Mexico
and Paraguay." (with Brandon Rottinghaus and Amalia Mena-Mora). Paper submitted for the
67th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 3-6,
2009.
 “An Analysis of the Recent Transformations and Decline of the Piqueteros.” Paper
submitted for the 66th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago,
Illinois, April 3-6, 2008.
 “Unemployment and Opportunism: The Piqueteros of Argentina.” Paper submitted for the
63rd Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 7-10,
2005.
New England Political Science Association
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“Foreign Direct Investment and Civil Rights in Latin America and Eastern Europe: Does
Quality of Democracy Matter?” Paper submitted for the Annual New England Political
Science Association Conference, Providence, Rhode Island, April 25-26, 2008.
Northeastern Political Science Association
 “Meet the Producer: Economic Shocks, Exchange Rate Regimes, and the Politics of
Economic Networks” (with Ernesto Calvo). Paper to be submitted for the Northeastern
Political Science Association Conference, Philadelphia, November 19-21, 2009.
Southern Political Science Association
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“Legislative Dimensions of Partisan Competition in Volatile Non-ideological Party Systems:
An Analysis of the Peruvian Congress” (with Eduardo Alemán and Iñaki Sagarzazu). Paper
submitted for the 80th Annual Southern Political Science Association Conference, New
Orleans, Louisiana, January 7-11, 2009.
“Foreign Direct Investment and Civil Rights: Testing Decreasing Returns to Civil Rights in
Eastern Europe and Latin America” Paper to be submitted for the 80th Annual Southern
Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 7-11, 2009.
Southwestern Political Science Association
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“Emergence, Organizational Transformations, and Decline of the Piquetero Movement: A
Comparative Institutional Explanation” Paper submitted for the 2008 Annual Southwestern
Political Science Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 12-15, 2008.
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Other conferences and workshops
 ““Risk” in the 2000 Mexican Election: Short and Long Term Effects in Enhancing
Opposition Vote Propensity” (with Brandon Rottinghaus and Amalia Mena-Mora).
University of Houston - Latin American Workshop. March, 2008.
 “Foreign Direct Investment and Civil Rights: Testing Decreasing Returns to Civil Rights in
Eastern Europe and Latin America” University of Houston - Latin American Workshop.
November, 2007.
 “Unemployment and Opportunism: The Piquetero movement.” Poster session presented at
Second Regional Latin Americanist Conference, Texas A&M University, State College,
October 19, 2007.
 “The Emergence of the Piqueteros in Argentina.” Paper submitted for the 1st. Latin
American and Caribbean Studies Student Research Symposium, University of Connecticut,
Storrs, April 15, 2005.
 "Economic Rights: Conceptua, Measurement, and Policy Issues." Discussant at the 2005
Internal Symposium on Human Rights, University of Connecticut, Storrs, April 2, 2005.
Awards and Grants
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The 2009 Prestage-Cook Travel Award
Assistantship granted by the Department of Political Science, The University of Houston,
Houston, USA. Summer 2009.
Three travel fellowships granted by the Department of Political Science, The University of
Houston, for attending conferences in 2008.
Assistantship granted by the Department of Political Science, The University of Houston,
Houston, USA. Summer 2008.
Travel Fellowship granted by the Latin American Studies Association, September, 2007.
Assistantship granted by the Department of Political Science, The University of Houston,
Houston, USA. August 2007 – May 2010.
Travel Fellowship granted by The Canadian Association of Latin American & Caribbean
Studies (CALACS), University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, September 2006.
Summer research assistantship 2006 granted by the Department of Economics, The
University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA, May 2006 - August 2006.
Mare Europaeum scholarship granted by the Baltic Sea School at Berlin Humboldt
University in Germany, the Centre for Baltic Studies at Copenhagen University in Denmark,
and the Baltic Sea Region Studies programme at the University of Turku in Finland, July –
August 2006. Program funded by the Erasmus Mundus Action 4 programme of the
European Union.
EFRI Summer School scholarship granted by the University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia, May
2006 (declined)
Mises University scholarship granted by The Mises Institute, Auburn, USA, July – August
2006 (declined)
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Sommerhochschule scholarship granted by The University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, April
2006 (declined)
Whetten Travel Fellowship granted by The Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies,
The University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA, March 2006, April 2005 and September 2006.
Pre-doctoral fellowship granted by the Department of Economics, The University of
Connecticut, Storrs, USA. August 2005 – September 2005.
Assistantship granted by the Department of Economics, The University of Connecticut,
Storrs, USA. August 2005 – May 2007.
Fellowship and assistantship granted by The Center for Latin American & Caribbean
Studies, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA. August 2003 – May 2005.
ISFIT Fellowship, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim,
Norway, March 2003.
ITEC Fellowship, National Institute of Rural Development (Hyderabad), Indian
Government. November 2002 – December 2002.
Vidzeme University College Fellowship, Vidzeme University College, Valmiera, Latvia,
July 2002.
Manuscript and Proposal Referee
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Social and Economic Studies (2005)
Research Experience
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Research Assistant to Susan Scarrow, The University of Houston. Summer 2009.
Research Assistant to Isabella Alcañiz, The University of Houston. Fall 2008 – Summer
2009.
Research Assistant to Eduardo Alemán, The University of Houston. Summer 2008 – Spring
2009.
Research Assistant to Susan Scarrow, The University of Houston. Spring 2008.
Research Assistant to Dennis Heffley, The University of Connecticut. Summer 2006.
Research on productivity and nominal wages in the USA.
Research Assistant to Peter Kingstone, The University of Connecticut. Fall 2003-Spring
2005. Research on privatization in Latin America.
Research Assistant to Cynthia Sanborn, Universidad del Pacífico. Spring 2001. Research on
Peruvian political parties.
Teaching Experience
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Teaching assistant to Steven Cunningham, Principles of Macroeconomics, The University of
Connecticut, Spring 2007.
Teaching assistant to Lanse Minkler, Essentials of Economics, The University of
Connecticut, Fall 2006.
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Teaching assistant to Delia Furtado, Intermediate Microeconomics, The University of
Connecticut, Spring 2006.
Teaching assistant to Gautam Tripathi, Empirical Methods in Economics, The University of
Connecticut, Fall 2005.
Teaching Assistant, Introductory Microeconomics, Universidad del Pacífico, Spring 2000
and Spring 2001.
Interest Fields
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Political economy, Latin American politics, comparative politics, legislatures, social
movements, international trade, and European politics.
Other Work Experience
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Consultancy. Empírica Consultoría. Project on presidential approval in Mexico. July 2006September 2006.
Budget analyst, the Ministry of Production of the Government of Peru. Responsible for
matters pertaining to Ministry's budget, as well as for evaluating different programs of
financing and promotion of the industry and fishery sector. (December 2002-June 2003).
Risk analyst, in the Santander Central Hispano Peru Bank. Responsible for analyzing risks of
the greatest Peruvian firms. (March 2002-June 2002).
Internship (risk assistant), in the Santander Central Hispano Peru Bank. (September 2000March 2001).
Languages
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English, Spanish (native speaker), Econometric Views, Stata, R, RATS, and SPSS.
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