Sandra J. Ley Gutiérrez
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Studies
Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
Email: sandra.ley@cide.edu
EDUCATION
| 2014 | Ph.D. in Political Science
Duke University Fields: Comparative Political Behavior; Conflict and Violence Dissertation: Citizens in Fear: Participation and Voting Behavior in the Midst of Violence |
| 2010 | M.A. in Political Science
Duke University Approved with Distinction |
| 2007 | B.A. in Political Science and International Relations
Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas Thesis: Decentralization and Electoral Autonomy: Determinants of Autonomy in the Local Electoral Institutes in Mexico, 1990-2004 Approved with Distinction |
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| 2016-present | Assistant Professor
Department of Political Studies, CIDE-Mexico City |
| 2015-2016 | Visiting Professor
Department of Political Studies, CIDE-Mexico City |
| 2014-2015 | Visiting Fellow
Kellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame |
| 2013-2015 | Security Consultant
México Evalúa |
| 2014-2015 | Expert for Mexico
Mexico Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center |
| 2014 | Local Senior Consultant for Mexico
Democracy International |
| 2007-2008 | Research Projects Coordinator
Parametría |
PUBLICATIONS
Academic
Altamirano, Melina and Sandra Ley. 2020. “The Economy, Security, and Corruption in the 2018 Presidential Election. Campaign issues and electoral preferences in Mexico.” Política y gobierno, 27(2). Special volume on the 2018 Mexican Election.
Castro Cornejo, Rodrigo, Sandra Ley and Ulises Beltran. 2020. “Anger, Partisanship, and the Activation of Populist Attitudes in Mexico.” Política y gobierno, 27(2).Special volume on the 2018 Mexican Election.
Trejo, Guillermo and Sandra Ley. 2019. “High-Profile Criminal Violence: Why Drug Cartels Murder Government Officials and Party Candidates in Mexico.” British Journal of Political Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123418000637 (Honorable Mention at APSA 2020 Democracy and Autocracy Section).
Aldrich, John, Gregory Schober, Sandra Ley, and Marco Fernández. 2018. “Incognizance and Perceptual Deviation: Individual and Institutional Sources of Variation in Citizens’ Perceptions of Party Placements on the Left–Right Scale,” Political Behavior 40(2): 415-433.
Public policy reports
López Ayllón, Sergio et al. 2018. “Estudio para elaborar una propuesta de política pública
en materia de Justicia Transicional en México.” CIDE-CNDH. Mexico City.
Mizrahi, Yemile, Sandra Ley, Lilian Chapa and Leonel Fernández. 2014. “Mid-term Performance Evaluation of Crime Prevention Models in Mexico”. Democracy International-USAID.
Ley, Sandra. 2007. “Independencia de los Órganos Electorales: Teoría y Evidencia para el caso mexicano”. In Instituto Electoral del Distrito Federal. Grandes Temas para un Observatorio Electoral Ciudadano, Vol. III. México: IEDF.
Publications in newspapers and magazines
“Municipios bajo fuego”, Nexos, with Guillermo Trejo (February 2015)
“Desapariciones y protesta”. Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (November 20, 2013)
“Elecciones y violencia”. Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (July 11, 2013)
“Lecciones desde Colombia”. Letras Libres. Printed edition. (April 2013)
“Conteos comparados de la violencia en América Latina”. Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (November 28, 2012)
“La insuficiencia de las bases de datos”. Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (September 19, 2012)
“El desafío de contar a nuestros muertos”. Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (September 12, 2012)
“¿Qué mide realmente el Índice de Estados Fallidos?” Letras Libres. Polifonía Blog. (June 29, 2011)
WORK IN PROGRESS
“Participation in High-Risk Activism: Protesting Amid Violence” (R&R)
“Rewriting Violence: Risk Effects and the Targeting of Journalists in Mexico’s Criminal Conflict,” with Cassy Dorff and Colin Henry (In progress)
“Remittances and Protest against Crime in Mexico,” with Covadonga Meseguer and J. Eduardo Ibarra-Olivo (In progress).
HONORS, AWARDS AND FELLOWHIPS
| 2020 | UC MEXUS-Conacyt Collaborative Research Grant. In collaboration with Lauren L. Young, for the project “The causes and effects of lynchings in Mexico using a new dataset of media reports.” |
| 2019-2023 | Member of Political Behavior Editorial Board |
| 2019-2022 | Member of Política y Gobierno Editorial Board |
| 2018 | “Why Did Drug Cartels Go to War in Mexico? Subnational Party Alternation, the Breakdown of Criminal Protection, and the Onset of Large-Scale Violence” awarded Best Paper Published in CPS in 2018 |
| 2017 | Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Research Grant. In collaboration with Guillermo Trejo and Shannan Mattiace, for the project “Criminal Violence and Indigenous Resistance. Why Ethnic Autonomy Institutions Deter Drug Violence in Mexico.” |
| National Researcher Candidate, National Council for Research and Technology (Conacyt) | |
| Mexico City Collaboration Grants, University of Notre Dame. In collaboration with Guillermo Trejo, for the project “Democracy and Criminal Violence: The Political Foundations of Drug Wars in Mexico.” | |
| 2013-2014 | Inter-American Foundation Grassroots Development Fellowship |
| 2012-2013 | International Research Travel Fellowship, Duke University |
| 2012 | Democracy, Institutions, and Political Economy Summer Funding, Political Science Department, Duke University |
| 2011 | Walter T. Molano Award, Political Science Department, Duke University |
| Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Field Research Grant, Duke University | |
| Democracy, Institutions, and Political Economy Summer Funding, Political Science Department, Duke University | |
| 2010 | Walter T. Molano Award, Political Science Department, Duke University |
| 2009 | Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Predissertation Research Grant, Duke University |
| Democracy, Institutions, and Political Economy Summer Funding, Political Science Department, Duke University | |
| 2005 | Academic Excellence Fellowship, Sempra Energy/CIDE |
PRESENTATIONS
| 2019 | “Rewriting Violence: Risk Effects and the Targeting of Journalists in Mexico’s Criminal Conflict,” with Cassy Dorff and Colin Henry, “New Research by Women Studying Violence” Workshop, University of Notre Dame. |
| “Criminal Violence and Indigenous Resistance. Why Ethnic Autonomy Institutions Deter Drug Violence in Mexico,” with Shannan Mattiace and Guillermo Trejo, “Old and New Challenges to Mexican Democracy” Conference, Yale University. | |
| 2018 | “The Welfare State amid Crime. How victimization and perceptions of insecurity affect preferences for redistribution in Latin America,” with Melina Altamirano and Sarah Berens, Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL. |
| “High-risk Activism and Protest amid Violence. Evidence from Mexico,” “New Research by Women Studying Violence” Workshop, University of Notre Dame. | |
| “The Welfare State amid Crime. How victimization and perceptions of insecurity affect preferences for redistribution in Latin America,” with Melina Altamirano and Sarah Berens, Workshop on “Criminal and Political Violence in Mexico and Central America,” UCSD-Stanford. | |
| 2016 | “High-profile Criminal Violence. Why drug cartels murder subnational authorities and party candidates in Mexico,” with Guillermo Trejo, Workshop on “Subnational Political Violence,” Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas-Mexico City. |
| “Doing Business in the Context of Criminal Violence in Mexico,” with Magdalena Guzmán, Conference on “Nonviolent Strategies in Violent Settings,” Sié Center, University of Denver. | |
| “High-risk activism: Protest amid criminal violence,” Latin American Studies Association Annual Conference, New York City. | |
| “Indigenous Resistance to Drug Violence in Mexico. Why Indigenous Mobilization and Ethnic Autonomy Institutions Deter Criminal Violence,” with Shannan Mattiace and Guillermo Trejo, Conference on “Unequal Security in the Americas,” Brown University. | |
| 2015 | “Can Drug Lords Replace the Median Voter in Democratic Elections? Evidence from Mexico’s Wild West,” with Guillermo Trejo and Javier Márquez, American Political Science Association Conference, San Francisco, CA. |
| “At the Polling Station: How Violence Shapes Citizen Participation and the Organization of Elections,” with Francisco Cantú, Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL. | |
| “Mexico’s Drug Wars and the Remaking of Local Order: Why Criminal Organizations Murder Local Officials,” with Guillermo Trejo, Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL. | |
| “Nonviolent Strategies in Violent Settings,” Sie Center, University of Denver. | |
| “The State of Citizen Security in Mexico: 2014 in Review and the Year Ahead. Policy Implications for the Peña Nieto Administration,” Mexico Institute, Woodrow Wilson Institute, Washington D.C. | |
| 2014 | “Mexico’s Drug Wars and the Remaking of Local Order: Why Criminal Organizations Murder Local Officials,” with Guillermo Trejo, Subnational Research in Comparative Politics Conference, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. |
| “High-risk Activism and Protest amid Violence. Evidence from Mexico,” Latin American Politics Workshop, University of Houston, Houston, TX. | |
| “Electoral Accountability in the Midst of Violence: Evidence from Mexico,” American Political Science Association Conference, Washington D.C. | |
| “Federalism, Drugs, and Violence. Why Inter-Governmental Conflict Stimulated Inter-Cartel Violence in Mexico,” with Guillermo Trejo, Midwest Political Science Association National Conference, Chicago, IL. | |
| 2013 | “Uncertainty or Ambiguity? Sources of Variation in Ideological Placements of Political Parties,”with John Aldrich and Gregory Schober, American Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL. |
| “To Vote or Not to Vote: Elections in the Midst of Violence”, Latin American Studies Association, Washington D.C. | |
| “To Vote or Not to Vote: Elections in the Midst of Violence”, Politics and Government Workshop, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, Mexico City. | |
| “To Vote or Not to Vote: Elections in the Midst of Violence”, Midwest Political Science Association National Conference, Chicago, IL. | |
| “Votes, Drugs, and Violence. Subnational Democratization and the Onset of Inter-Cartel Wars in Mexico” with Guillermo Trejo, Midwest Political Science Association National Conference, Chicago, IL. | |
| 2011 | “Security and Crime Issue Voting in Latin America”, Midwest Political Science Association National Conference, Chicago, IL. |
| “Citizens at Risk: Perceptions of Crime and Insecurity in Latin America”, Conference on Preference Formation, Duke University, Durham, NC. | |
| 2008 | “Electoral Institutions and Democratic Consolidation in the Mexican states, 1990 2004,” with Francisco Javier Aparicio, Midwest Political Science Association National Conference, Chicago, IL. |
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
| 2020 | Instructor, “Civil Society in Comparative Perspective,” Political Science Graduate Program, CIDE. |
| Lecturer, “Violence, Insecurity, and Democracy,” Strategic Political Analysis Certificate, CIDE. | |
| 2019 | Instructor, “Political Sociology I,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. |
| Lecturer, “Violence, Insecurity, and Democracy,” Strategic Political Analysis Certificate, CIDE. | |
| 2018 | Lecturer, “Trafficking of illicit drugs, violence, and state capture,” Drug Policy Certificate, Universidad de los Andes-CESED. |
| Instructor, “Political Sociology II,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. | |
| Lecturer, “Regime transitions and democratic crisis,” Strategic Political Analysis Certificate, CIDE. | |
| Instructor, “Political Sociology I,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. | |
| 2017 | Lecturer, “Regime transitions and democratic crisis,” Strategic Political Analysis Certificate, CIDE. |
| Instructor, “Political Sociology II,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. | |
| Lecturer, “Social Violence in Mexico and Latin America,” Certificate for Mexican Federal Police Leadership, CIDE-PF. | |
| Instructor, “Political Sociology I,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. | |
| 2016 | Instructor, “Workshops for human rights activists, victims and their relatives,” El Colegio de México-CNDH, Violence and Peace Seminar. |
| Lecturer, “Workshops for public officials who attend victims,” El Colegio de México-CNDH, Violence and Peace Seminar. | |
| Instructor, “Political Sociology I,” B.A. in Political Science and International Relations, CIDE. | |
| Instructor, “Systematization of Original Databases,” Investigative Journalism Certificate, CIDE. | |
| 2015 | Instructor, Data Analysis for Human Rights (with Guillermo Trejo). University of Notre Dame. Spring Semester. |
| Lecturer, Human Rights and Peace Building Certificate, Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social-Centro Cultural de España en México-Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana. | |
| 2013 | Teaching assistant for Prof. Chris Johnston, “Introduction to Political Inquiry,” Duke University. |
| 2011 | Teaching assistant for Prof. Margaret Mackean, “Democracy, Development, and Violence,” Duke University. |
| Teaching assistant for Prof. Erik Wibbels, “Globalization y Domestic Politics,” Duke University. | |
| 2010 | Teaching assistant for Prof. Irina Alberro, “Introduction to Quantitative Methods,” Colegio de México. |
| 2007 | Teaching assistant for Prof. Matthew Kocher, “Introduction to Quantitative Methods,” CIDE. |
FIELDWORK RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
| 2017 | In-depth interviews with activists, human rights defenders, and journalists in the Sierra Tarahumara and Chihuahua. |
| 2014 | Focus groups and in-depth interviews with public officials and beneficiaries of crime prevention programs in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua y Monterrey, Nuevo León. |
| 2012 | In-depth interviews with victims of crime and participants of marches for peace in the states of Baja California, Chihuahua, Guerrero, Jalisco, Morelos and Nuevo León. |
| 2011 | Participation in the March for Peace (May 5-8, 2011) and the Caravan for Peace (June 2011), organized by the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity. |
CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
| 2018 | Project Coordinator of the “Study on Violence Against Women in Mexico,” in collaboration with Cabify, the National Laboratory for Public Policy (LNPP), and CIDE. |
| 2016-2017 | Project Coordinator of the “Systematization, Analysis and Visualization of Attacks against Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Mexico” project, in collaboration with the National Digital Strategy, the National Laboratory for Public Policy (LNPP), and CIDE.
2017 World Summit on the Information (WSIS) Champion, Category 17. |
| 2014 | Local senior consultant for Democracy International’s evaluation of USAID crime prevention programs in Mexico. |
| 2013-2015 | Security consultant for México Evalúa. |
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Reviewer for the American Political Science Review, British Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Democratization, European Journal of Political Research, Journal of Politics, Latin American Research Review, Latin American Politics and Society, Perspectives on Politics, Política y Gobierno, Foro Internacional.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
| 2011-2014 | Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, Mexico
Collaborated in the systematization of denunciations of cases of murders and disappearances, documented cases of victimization, and accompanied victims’ processes of denunciation of crimes with local public prosecutors |
LANGUAGES
Spanish (Native)
English (Fluent)
French (Basic)
SOFTWARE
Stata (Advanced)
R (Basic)
ArcGIS (Intermediate)
LaTex (Intermediate)
AFFILIATIONS
American Political Science Association
Latin American Studies Association
