Dr. Fernando Patr�n S�nchez, director of the Department of Public Management, Division of Law, Politics and Government at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico, will be the third and final speaker in the West Virginia University College of Law’s McDougall Lecture Series, “Global Perspectives.”

His talk, “Problems of Democratic Consolidation in Latin America: Special Mention to the Mexican Case,” will take place Monday, Oct. 12, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. in room 154 at the WVU Law Center. The event will be webcast and can be viewed at http://law.wvu.edu/global09.

Dr. Patr�n S�nchez, who is serving as an Archibald McDougall Visiting Lecturer on International Law at the College of Law, has observed that over the last two decades most Latin American countries have experienced a gradual but consistent change to democratic governments. Relatively free, fair and impartial elections have been held across Latin America. He contends that Democracy is in the process of establishing itself as the overwhelmingly dominant political system in the subcontinent.

“However, several problems remain in order to consolidate the democratic system in Latin America,” says Patr�n S�nchez. “There are still major uncertainties about the effectiveness of these regimes to contain crime and corruption, generate economic growth, reduce economic and social inequality, and secure freedom and the rule of law.”

According to Patr�n S�nchez, all these problems are manifested and expressed in Latin American societies with discontent and distrust towards political elites, political parties and political institutions in general.

During his presentation, Patr�n S�nchez will address the problems described above focusing mainly in the Mexican case. He will give a viewpoint of the undergoing reform processes that are needed in order to improve and consolidate democracy in Mexico and Latin America in general.

Patr�n S�nchez, holds a Ph.D. in Government Studies at the University of Essex in England; he has a Masters in Public Administration from the Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas (CIDE), Mexico, and a BA in Sociology from the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Mexico.

He is currently research professor, in the Faculty of Law and Public Administration at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico.

He has given numerous lectures and participated as speaker in various forums, conferences and seminars in Mexico and abroad. His research and expertise are: public policy, relations between the executive and legislative branches, federal congress and local political institutions and democratic transition in Mexico.

—WVU—

10/06/09

Contact: Brian Caudill, College of Law
(304) 293-7439