The Initiation of New Democratic Institutions

这一女性科学家和工程师职业发展奖旨在支持有经验的研究人员开展活动，通过开发新的研究技能并进行探索性和试验性工作，以确定预期的新调查路线的可行性，从而扩大她的研究职业潜力。这项工作旨在调查特定民主机构的启动情况，特别是在向民主过渡期间。这项研究首先假设，制度选择主要取决于负责起草和投票新法律和宪法的人的利益，这些利益以实现和生存为中心。研究方法包括：第一，确定启动制度变革的宪法、宪法修正案、法律和法令的位置；第二，将选举和其他政治生存需要产生的制度偏好归因于相关行为者；第三，检查历史记录，看看所确定的行为者是否如预测的那样行事。要审查的案例包括在二十世纪有丰富民主经验的九个拉丁美洲国家和目前正在向民主过渡的四个东欧国家。在获奖期间，这位调查员将学习数学和博弈论课程，以提升她的分析技能，并广泛阅读东欧的历史和政治。这一职业发展奖承诺大幅扩展调查员的能力和潜力。

This Career Advancement Award for Women Scientists and Engineers is intended to support an experienced investigator in activities that can expand her research career potential through developing new research skills and conducting exploratory and pilot work to determine the feasibility of a contemplated new line of inquiry. The work is directed at investigating the initiation of particular democratic institutions, particularly during periods of transition to democracy. The study begins with the hypothesis that institutional choice depends primarily on the interests of those charged with writing and voting on new laws and constitutions, and that these interests center on achieving and surviving in office. The research methodology involves, first, locating the constitutions, constitutional amendments, laws, and decrees that initiate institutional change; second, attributing institutional preferences derived from their electoral and other political survival needs to the actors involved; and third, examining the historical record to see if the actors identified acted as predicted or not. Cases to be examined include nine Latin American countries with substantial democratic experience during the twentieth century and four East European countries currently engaged in the transition to democracy. During the period of the award, the investigator will take courses in math and game theory to upgrade her analytic skills as well as reading widely on the history and politics of Eastern Europe. This Career Advancement Award promises to substantially expand the capabilities and potential of the investigator.