Research

Dissertation

The Rise of the Culturally Conservative Left and the Reconfiguration of Political Space in Latin America.

Abstract

My dissertation examines the unexpected emergence of the Culturally Conservative Left in Latin America, analyzing the causes that led to its rise and the factors that have enabled its development. I argue that the Culturally Conservative Left is a product of electoral incentives and parties’ organizational constraints. In a context of increasing salience of cultural issues, I contend that high levels of cultural conservatism among voters provide left-wing parties with incentives to modify their cultural platforms. However, electoral incentives alone are insufficient to trigger changes in party platforms. Parties led by autonomous leaders are more capable of adopting these shifts, whereas parties in which activists—particularly culturally progressive groups such as feminists and LGBTQ+ organizations—exercise substantial influence over party decisions and strategies face greater constraints in implementing such changes. Furthermore, the research examines the implications of the Culturally Conservative Left for the party system, showing that it has constrained the growth of radical right-wing parties. To assess these claims, I adopt a multi-method approach, examining the cases of MORENA in Mexico and the Workers’ Party (PT) in Brazil.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Castillo, I., Contreras-Guzmán, D., & Henzi, C. (2023). When do progressive evangelicals mobilize? Intra-denominational competing identities in Chile’s constitutional process. Politics and Religion, 16(2), 301-323.

Abstract

Over the last decade, and throughout the Americas, evangelicals have strongly mobilized in defense of socially conservative agendas or against so-called “gender ideology,” sparking general and academic interest. Much less is known about progressive evangelicals. Using the unique juncture presented by the constitutional process in Chile, we study the politicization of a progressive evangelical identity and ask when these religious groups mobilize. We argue that intra-denominational competition for evangelical identity has played an important role in progressive evangelical mobilization, and more specifically the wish to differentiate themselves from conservative evangelicals, introduce a distance from the political right, and show the internal diversity of the community. This process occurs in response to an initial (conservative) politicization of religion. Drawing on campaign materials, surveys, and interviews, we provide evidence for this argument highlighting that policy preferences and theological interpretations are core differences among both groups, sparking countermobilization.

Working Papers

Contreras-Guzmán, D. The Rise of the Culturally Conservative Left in Latin America.

Abstract

This paper explains the emergence of the Culturally Conservative Left, a variant of the left that combines left-wing economic policies with culturally conservative agendas. In a context of increasing salience of cultural issues, I argue that high levels of cultural conservatism among voters provide left-wing parties with incentives to modify their cultural platforms. However, their capacity to do so depends on the autonomy of their leaders from culturally progressive activists. Analyzing survey data, I document substantial cultural conservatism among mass publics across various Latin American countries. In two original survey experiments, I show that conservative appeals carry electoral returns when advanced by left-wing parties. Drawing on over 150 interviews, party documents, and news coverage, I analyze the cases of Mexico’s MORENA and Brazil’s Workers’ Party. The findings underscore the role of leadership autonomy in shaping parties’ ability to embrace cultural conservatism, and suggest implications for left-wing parties and their competitors.

Donoso, S. & Contreras-Guzmán, D. Political Learning and the Rise of Movement Parties: Chile’s Frente Amplio in Comparative Perspective.

Abstract

Amid a broader crisis of political representation, movement parties have emerged as a potential response to the shortcomings of established party systems. Yet the factors shaping their emergence and development remain insufficiently understood. In this paper, we focus on the idea of political learning and its importance for movement parties. First, we conceptualize political learning as a critical element for movement parties. Then, we propose three main areas of political learning that are crucial for the development of these parties and their prospects for endurance: their relationship with social movements, their internal organization, and their relationship to mainstream parties within their ideological sector. Using the case of the Chilean Frente Amplio and a multi-method strategy, we show the importance that these learnings have for the formation and trajectories of new movement parties.

Work in Progress

Contreras-Guzmán, D. Replacing the State: The Role of Churches in Marginalized Areas in Latin America.

Contreras-Guzmán, D. How Religion Radicalizes the Right but Moderates the Left.

Outreach

Contreras, D., Cruz, A., & Katz, B. (2019). Por qué los políticos pueden fracasar aún cambiando las reglas a su favor: la Nueva Mayoría y su derrota en 2017. CIPER Chile.