Latin America Policy Process Research Initiative

The Latin America Policy Process Research Initiative (LAPPRI) convenes scholars interested in advancing research on the policy process in Latin America. LAPPRI's goal is to serve as a hub for scholars to develop novel theories, concepts and methodological approaches for understanding policy dynamics in Latin America.

LAPPRI was founded in 2025 at a workshop hosted by the Center for Policy Design and Governance (CPDG). Tomás Olivier (Syracuse University) leads this initiative.

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Mission

Latin America has a long and complex history of innovative public policies designed to address pressing regional challenges. LAPPRI seeks to better understand and explain these unique policy dynamics by centering Latin American perspectives within new and existing frameworks, theories and models of the policy process. The initiative brings together scholars from Latin America and the United States to share research developments and generate nuanced insights about policymaking in the region.

Research Themes

LAPPRI affiliates’ research focuses on areas such as:

Environmental policy
Metropolitan governance
Corruption
Policy diffusion
Implementation

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Research Seminars

Twice a semester, LAPPRI hosts a virtual research seminar featuring scholars from around the world who leverage policy process models and frameworks to examine policymaking in Latin America.

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