ERIGAL is pleased to invite you to a conversation on how governments build health policy and how citizens make sense of it, from party-driven reform to the affective politics of vaccination.
The event will feature two presentations of approximately one hour each. Our distinguished guests, Zoila Ponce de León and Tiago Tasca, will present their respective research, followed by comments from Daniel Béland and Nora Nagels. The event will be moderated by Roman Perdomo.
- October 9
- 2 PM - 4 PM
- Université de Montréal
- Room C-7149, pavillon Lionel-Groulx
- 3150, rue Jean-Brillant, Montréal (Québec) H3T 1N8
- 📝 Register via this link to receive the papers in advance.
Presentation by Zoila Ponce de León (University of Pittsburgh)
Book Presentation. The Politics of Healthcare Expansion: Policy Reform and Political Parties in Latin America
Comments by Daniel Béland (McGill University)
Combining compelling field research with sharp analysis, The Politics of Healthcare Expansion explores why efforts to expand equitable healthcare so often fall short, and why some succeed. Through comparative case studies from Chile, Mexico, and Peru, the book reveals how political party commitment, or the lack thereof, shapes the design, implementation, and sustainability of healthcare reform. Moving beyond ideology, it demonstrates the crucial role of programmatic party engagement and analyzes the impact of technocrats and external actors when political parties are weak or disengaged. With timely lessons highlighted by the region’s experience with COVID-19, this book offers rigorous insights and practical implications for anyone seeking to understand or influence social policy reform in emerging democracies.
Presentation by Tiago Tasca (University of California, Riverside)
Vaccinating Friends and Foes: Affective Polarization and Vaccine Meaning-Making
Comments by Nora Nagels
Brazil has long been known for its strong public vaccination policy, yet vaccine confidence has become increasingly unstable. Why does immunization lose credibility in a country where it was once routine? This presentation argues that vaccine hesitancy is a form of politically structured meaning-making: citizens judge vaccine information not only by its content, but also by who delivers it and how they feel toward the associated political camp. Drawing on an original survey experiment and interviews conducted in Brazil in 2026, it shows how affective polarization shapes health behavior even where partisan identification has historically been weak.
👥 About the presenters
Zoila Ponce de León is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public and International Affairs, with affiliations in Political Science and Latin American Studies. Her research examines comparative social policy, with a focus on how governments respond to challenges in healthcare and migration. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in journals including International Migration Review, Journal of Latin American Studies, and Journal of Experimental Political Science. She is the author of The Politics of Healthcare Expansion: Policy Reform and Political Parties in Latin America (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming). Her research has received support from the American Political Science Association, the Social and Economic Research Consortium, and other organizations. Originally from Trujillo, Peru, she holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.
Tiago Tasca is a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Riverside. His research sits at the intersection of comparative politics, public policy, and political behavior, with a regional focus on Latin America and Brazil. His work examines how political polarization, misinformation, institutional trust, and state capacity shape public health policy and citizen behavior, particularly in the context of primary healthcare.
We look forward to seeing you there!