UETANI Naokatsu

UETANI Naokatsu

UETANI Naokatsu
[Belonging・Position] Governance Studies Group, Inter-disciplinary Studies Center ・Deputy Director
[Research Field] Political science, political economy, Latin American politics
[email] Naokatsu_Uetani E-mail
Profile Information (Research history, education, papers & publications)

Previous research

In graduate school, I studied democratization theory and general political systems theory. Since joining the JETRO Institute of Developing Economies, I have conducted research without explicitly specifying my focus in terms of research themes, methodologies, analytical methods, and concrete examples from the Latin American region, but I have observed the political situation there and conducted research on a wide range of topics as the situation changed. Most of my research has focused on Ecuadorian politics under the Rafael Correa administration, which was formed during the left-leaning Pink Tide of the 2000s. However, now that Correa has retired from Ecuadorian politics (at least for the time being), my research interests are shifting to countries in Central America.

Current research projects

The topics I am currently researching include (1) factors that obstruct the linkages between Westernization and democratization, (2) changes in party-based government and social policies, and (3) right and left populism. My work at the JETRO Institute of Developing Economies focuses on modern political communications. With regard to the first topic, I research how international dissemination, imitation, and “infection” of certain policy preferences and ideologies occur. As for the latter two themes, they can be considered two sides of the same coin, and I am personally interested the transformation of political representation in Latin America in the post-neoliberalism period.