Paul Lagunes
Subfield: Comparative Politics, Political Economy, Urban Politics
and Latin American Politics
Free elections in Mexico and other recently democratized nations have failed to make local urban governments more responsive to the public’s interests, in large part, because democratically elected officials have had to rely on the expertise of functionaries who are often seasoned in the practice of corruption. In the face of such a challenge, I theorize that independent audits over sensitive governmental processes that promise to punish deviant agents have the capacity to heighten discipline, stringency, and honesty among civil servants. Stated succinctly, I maintain that external monitoring and credible sanctions can improve officials’ overall performance. My work relies on participant observational and field experimental methods.
Email: paul.lagunes@yale.edu
Personal Web Page: www.paullagunes.com
