Felix Puemape Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics

Holekamp 304
540-458-4740
fpuemape@wlu.edu
Curriculum Vitae

Felix Puemape is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Politics Department. He received his PhD from Temple University. His research focuses on the configuration of bureaucracies and the politicization of social identities. More precisely, he is interested in the political motivations of skilled individuals to be involved in politics and the public sector. Likewise, more recently, he has also been studying how social identities (ethnic, regional, and class, among others) are stressed by certain politicians.

Puemape's research is characterized by a variety of techniques, from semi-structured interviews to survey experiments. His work is primarily focused on developing regions, with a special interest in Latin America. His book project, which explores the impact of political instability on the appeal of public administration to individuals with tertiary education in the developing world, includes panel data analysis and a survey conjoint experiment in Peru, which are complemented by case studies in Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. He has also co-authored a book, Aqui no hay Ventanillas: La Burocracia de la Calle en los Programas Sociales (IEP 2017), which presents qualitative research on the inner workings of social programs in Peru.

Regarding teaching, Puemape firmly stands against memorization, providing students with an interactive and comparative view of politics. His classes resemble real-life examples to explain main concepts and include permanent comparisons between the American context and other world regions. His teaching experience includes courses in international and comparative politics. Beyond the classroom, Puemape has also participated in public debate, especially in Peru, where he has performed as an occasional political columnist in El Comercio, the leading newspaper in this country.