By Juan Corredor-Garcia, PhD student in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York

 

As one of the most prestigious regional conferences in the discipline, MPSA not only attracts political scientists but also social scientists from around the world. We interviewed sociologist Felipe Ramos Garcia, an international graduate student from Brazil who attended MPSA in 2024. Felipe is currently a PhD candidate at São Paulo University and Researcher of Center for the Study of Violence (NEV-USP).

Juan Corredor-Garcia: Hi Felipe, great to have you here. Can you tell us a bit more about you, in particular, about your interdisciplinary background?

Felipe Ramos Garcia (FRG): Hi Juan. Thanks for having me. I’m a social scientist with a broad interest in all major fields of social sciences. My academic background is in sociology, with a specialization in violence, punishment, and security, focusing particularly on militarization and illegal markets. My training is diverse—I completed a master’s degree in political science and have engaged in various projects related to my research interests. During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to work with the Brazilian Truth Commission, which investigated crimes committed during Brazil’s military dictatorship. I also taught in prison institutions in rural areas of Brazil. These experiences deepened my interest in the study of punishment and violence. Since my master’s program, I have developed expertise in state violence and security studies, combining different theoretical approaches and methods to understand why crime and violence have become such pressing issues in Latin America and how various institutional actors engage with these topics.

JCG: What paper/research did you present at MPSA? Did you volunteer for any other roles (discussant, chair, etc.)?

FRG: I presented the paper “Organized Crime and New Criminal Enterprises: An Analysis of the Domain of Cities in Brazil,” which included preliminary findings from my ongoing research. Additionally, I had the opportunity to serve as a discussant on another panel.

JCG: How did you learn about MPSA? And why did you decide to come to Chicago?

FRG: A friend of mine, who had recently completed his dissertation, was presenting at MPSA and invited me to attend. When I saw the call for abstracts, I thought it would be a great opportunity to present my research and receive feedback from scholars with different perspectives. My academic background is in sociology, so engaging with political scientists, particularly in a field well-established in U.S. academia, seemed valuable for broadening my insights. It is important to mention that I was a visiting scholar at the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, so that also helped.

JCG: Can you describe what insights you get from this regional conference, which is somehow different from your own discipline (sociology)?

FRG: I gained several valuable insights, especially regarding the quantitative analysis of the data I collected. In sociology, research approaches tend to be more diverse, and my own work employs a mixed-methods approach. At MPSA, I had the chance to hear from experts in statistics and quantitative research, which helped me refine the analytical aspects of my study.

JCG: What were the impressions you got when attending MPSA?

FRC: I was aware that political science is a major field in the U.S., but I was still impressed by the scale and structure of MPSA—it was even bigger than I had anticipated. I was also surprised to see that relatively few studies used qualitative methods such as interviews, document analysis, or ethnographic observation. Most of the research presented relied on large datasets and focused on establishing correlations between variables. While this is undoubtedly valuable, I believe that in many cases, such approaches do not fully explain social phenomena.

In my field, we aim not only to establish relationships between variables but also to understand and interpret social events using a more mixed approach. I felt that this perspective was somewhat lacking in many of the sessions I attended. Nonetheless, my overall experience at MPSA was excellent, both academically and personally. The networking opportunities were particularly valuable, and I highly recommend the conference to fellow sociologists if they have the chance to attend.

JCG: Do you have any recommendations or advice for international grad students wishing to attend MPSA? Why would you think they should come to Chicago?

FRG: For international graduate students who have the opportunity to attend, my advice is to go with an open mind, actively engage with others, and take advantage of networking opportunities. MPSA is a fantastic platform to learn about diverse topics and connect with researchers from around the world. I strongly encourage attending—you’re likely to leave Chicago with valuable insights and meaningful academic connections.

JCG: Last, but not least. Were you able to enjoy the city? What extra-curricular activities did you find the most interesting while staying in Chicago?

FRG: Yes, Chicago is an incredible city! The conference hotel is conveniently located near many great attractions, and the city’s public transportation system makes it easy to explore beyond the event. During my stay, I visited the Chicago Cultural Center, which offers many free events, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Art Institute of Chicago—all of which I highly recommend. And of course, you can’t leave Chicago without trying its famous deep-dish pizza!

 

About the Author

Juan Corredor-Garcia is a PhD student in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. He is currently a Fulbright/Minciencias scholar. He studies the intersection between rebel and criminal governance in Latin America from a civilian resistance perspective, as well as the politics of green militarization in South America.

Find him on twitter at @thuandavid10