Dr. Shelley McConnell

My intellectual focus is on democratic development in poor countries, especially in Latin America. Other themes I have explored are conflict resolution, revolution, election observation, campaign finance laws and the role of the Organization of American States.

While working for former President Jimmy Carter, I visited every country in Latin America except Paraguay, and separately I have lived in Nicaragua and spent summers in Costa Rica and Mexico. I am an amateur “ruin hound” and have visited all the major archeological centers of the ancient Aztec, Mayan and Incan empires, as well as many of the Mixtec and Toltec sites. I speak Spanish, as well as a smattering of Portuguese and French, and occasionally try my hand at translating popular Latin American and Caribbean songs into English on the Internet.

My hobbies include writing poetry, horseback riding, knitting, scuba diving and – much to the delight of my rabbit Moonshadow -- gardening.