Brazil

The New Politics of Latin America
Faculty Development Workshop Series 2003-2004

"Two Brazils, Two Electorates: Voter Change and Choice in 2002"
Andrew Baker, University of Houston

"Labor and Industry in Lula's Brazil"
Scott Martin, Columbia University

Moderator:
Desmond Arias, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

The Brazilian elections of 2002 will be remembered most for the convincing victory of a non-elite, left-leaning presidential candidate, Luis Inácio "Lula" da Silva. Despite Lula’s impressive margin of victory in both the first and second round of the election, his success was hardly a foregone conclusion during Brazil’s lengthy pre-campaign and campaign season. Two different candidates, neither of whom survived to the second round, were technically tied with Lula in opinion polls at different points in the campaign. Using a public opinion survey carried out in two Brazilian cities, Andrew Baker will discuss voters' decisions, and at times indecision, in the 2002 presidential election.

Andrew Baker is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston and adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut. Andy's research is on public opinion and political economy in Latin America, and especially Brazil. His recent publications have appeared in World Politics and Electoral Studies, and he is currently working on a book manuscript with some co-authors on mass politics and voting behavior in Brazil's 2002 elections.