Rafael Shimabukuro ras242@cam.ac.uk
Peru
Centre of Latin American Studies, Girton College
PhD thesis: The Fujimori Decade in Peru (1990-2000): Populism, Authoritarianism and the Neoliberal Project
Research interests:
1. Radical political economy
2. Political theory
3. Historical materialism
4. Latin American politics
My PhD investigates the relationship between neoliberalism, populism and authoritarianism in Peru during Alberto Fujimori’s government (1990-2000). I examine whether Peru’s material conditions brought to the surface traits which are latent in neoliberalism, namely populism and authoritarianism. I am particularly interested in the ways in which neoliberalism can become, or be made to be, a truly popular/populist project from below.
Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?
Most directly, I was inspired to pursue this research by an intellectual and political desire to understand neoliberalism and its popular appeal. More broadly, my undergraduate degree was spent exploring the fascinating worlds of international political economy and critical political theory, which has informed my research interests and methods ever since.