Political Dynamics in Brazil: The 2006 Elections

April 18, 2006 - 12:30 pm

David Fleisher, University of Brasília
Renowned political scientist, David Fleischer will bring us up to date on Brazil’s upcoming presidential elections to be held in October 2006. What are the prospects of Lula and the Worker’s Party returning to office? Who are the leading candidates, where do they stand, and what ideas do they bring to bear? Fleischer will probe the major issues that shade the Brazilian political landscape today and help frame the emerging debates.

Moderator:
Mauricio Font, Bildner Center, Graduate Center and Queens College, CUNY

David Fleischer holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Florida
(1972). He worked in rural extension in Minas Gerais (1962-64) as a Peace Corps Volunteer and returned to the UFMG as a visiting professor (1969-71). Fleischer joined the faculty of the University of Brasília in 1972, where he was Chair of the Dept. of Political Science and International Relations (1985-1989) and member of the University Council (1985-1993). He has held visiting posts at the University of Florida, SUNY-Albany and George Washington University, and has done research and consulting on Legislative Development and Election Systems in Latin America and Africa. Fleischer has published widely on Brazilian politics (Congress, elections, parties) and North-South Relations. David has performed technical consulting missions on elections systems and legislative development in Latin America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Central America) and Africa (São Tomé & Príncipe, Mozambique and South Africa). He is also active in political risk analysis and has published the Brazil Focus -Weekly Report since mid-1996.