New technologies, autocracies, and legitimacy in Latin America: an interview with Manuel Alcántara

Abstract

Manuel Alcántara Sáez, a prominent political scientist and sociologist, is recognized for his extensive academic career in the study of Latin America. Trained at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he obtained his doctorate in 1984, he has specialized in topics such as political parties, parliamentary elites, and the professionalization of politics. He was a professor of Political Science and Administration at the University of Salamanca, where he founded the journal América Latina Hoy and promoted the Ibero-American Institute. He has received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates in Argentina and Paraguay, and the Medal of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins, awarded by Chile. He also held prominent positions such as Secretary General of the Latin American Political Science Association and Vice-Rector of International Relations at the University of Salamanca. In 2022, he was awarded the Gláucio Soares Prize for his academic career. He has published works such as Huellas de la democracia fatigada and El oficio del político, in addition to collaborating with prestigious journals in Europe and Latin America. His academic legacy stands out for his analysis of the political dynamics of Latin America and its influence on the field of international political science.