August 6, 2025
Adriana Albanus is a PhD Student in Political Science at the University of Notre Dame specializing in Comparative Politics and Methods. Her dissertation project at Notre Dame explores the relationship between populist rhetoric of presidents and its relationship with public opinion in Brazil and in the United States. She is also a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS – Brazil) with a specialization in Political Culture.
Adriana has been a Research Assistant at the World Values Survey Brazil since 2016. From 2020 to 2021, she was a Research Visitor at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Adriana has a MA in Strategic International Studies and a Post-graduate Certificate in Strategy and Contemporary International Relations from UFRGS, and holds a B.A in International Relations from the Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM – Brazil).
What or who inspired your research and its applications to society?
My dissertation research examines the relationship between populist leaders and their supporters, exploring how it can be instrumentalized in democratic backsliding processes. What inspired me to pursue this project the most came from the desire to understand the rapid political changes I observed in Brazil – and around the world – with the emergence of populist leaders and the powerful bonds they were forging with their constituents. Populism is a transformative force that extends beyond politics, and understanding its relationship with society is crucial to comprehending the challenges and limits of representative democracies.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about collaboration from working with people outside of your field?
The value of interdisciplinarity. When I started as a Lucy Graduate Scholar, I was unsure how people from such different backgrounds could meaningfully contribute to each other’s work. Over time, I came to realize that difference alone is not an obstacle, but rather a strength, as it comes with diversity of perspectives on shared questions. Having a common purpose is enough to create a sense of community and to bridge the disciplinary divides.
How has the Lucy Family Institute contributed to your development as a research scholar?
As a researcher, one of the most important skills I learned as a Lucy Graduate Scholar was how to effectively communicate my research to various audiences. This essential, but often neglected skill, is an invitation to fresh perspectives and to share knowledge more purposefully. I also learned how to listen carefully and offer constructive feedback on work well outside my own expertise, which I believe made me a more thoughtful collaborator and researcher.
To learn more about the Lucy Graduate Scholars program, please visit the webpage.