Dr John Brown

    Sociology, Social Sciences Institute (MUSSI)

    Postdoctoral Researcher

    TSI
    2nd Fl
    2.58

    Biography

    I completed my PhD in the Sociology Department of Maynooth in 2018 where I examined the emergence and development of left-led democratization processes in Bolivia and Venezuela. Before my doctorate, I completed a masters in International Development in DCU, while I studied for my undergraduate degree in Business, Economics, and Social Studies at Trinity College Dublin. My research focuses on the causes for the emergence of outsider parties and how such parties relate to social movement constituent bases. I have received several awards to carry out my research, including from the Irish Research Council, The National University of Ireland, The Fulbright Commission, and Maynooth University. I started lecturing in the department in 2018, teaching courses on state-society relations, political institutions, Irish politics and society, Latin American politics, revolutions, and political ideologies. I also work with final year students who are working on their dissertations and am supervising a PhD student who is exploring the far-right in Ireland and Greece. I have recently finished writing a book on the emergence, development, and legacies of the presidencies of Evo Morales in Bolivia and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela. I am currently working as PI on an SFI-IRC Pathway funded 4-year project, examining radical left parties and social movement interactions in Southern Europe and the Andes.

    Research Interests

    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    Anti-neoliberal parties and popular movements: Andean and Southern European cases in Comparative Perspective PI 01/01/2022 31/12/2025 552500
    Beyond Market Democracy? Bolivia and Venezuela after Neo-Liberalism PI

    Book

    Year Publication
    2022 John Brown (2022) Deepening Democracy in Post-Neoliberal Bolivia and Venezuela: Advances and Setbacks. London: Routledge. [Link] https://www.routledge.com/Deepening-Democracy-in-Post-Neoliberal-Bolivia-and-Venezuela-Advances-and/Brown/p/book/9781032201481
    2026 John Brown (2026) Anti-neoliberal parties and popular movements: Andean and Southern European cases in Comparative Perspective. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2022 John Brown (2022) 'Party-base linkages, contestatory mobilization and ‘creative tensions’ in Bolivia' In: Progressive Governments and Social Movements: Resistance, Convergence and ‘Creative Tensions’. Maryland : Rowman and Littlefield. [Full-Text]
    2023 John Brown (2023) 'Populist responses to crises of market democracy: The case of Bolivia’s Evo Morales' In: Populism: Latin American Perspectives. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne : Agenda. [Link]
    2024 John Brown (2024) 'Los vínculos entre el partido y la base, la movilización contestataria y las ‘tensiones creativas’ en Bolivia' In: CLACSO Latin American Council of Social Sciences. Buenos Aires : CLACSO Latin American Council of Social Sciences. [Full-Text]
    2023 John Brown (2023) 'Crisis de la democracia de mercado y las respuestas populistas: El caso de Evo Morales de Bolivia' In: CLACSO Latin American Council of Social Sciences. Buenos Aires : CLACSO Latin American Council of Social Sciences. [Link] [Full-Text]
    2022 John Brown (2022) 'Populist responses to crises of market democracy: The case of Bolivia’s Evo Morales' In: Rethinking Populism: Latin American Perspectives. New York and London : Palgrave. [Full-Text]

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2020 Brown J. (2020) 'Neoliberalization, De-democratization, and Populist Responses in Western Europe, the US, and Latin America'. Critical Sociology, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2020 Brown, J (2020) 'Party-base linkages and contestatory mobilization in Bolivia’s El Alto: Subduing the Ciudad Rebelde'. Latin American Perspectives, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Brown J. (2018) 'Escaping the Confines of Market Democracy: Lessons From Venezuela'. Socialism and Democracy, 32 (2):14-31. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2017 Cannon, B; Brown, J (2017) 'VENEZUELA 2016: THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY'. Revista de Ciencia Politica, 37 :613-633. [Full-Text]
    2017 (2017) 'Venezuela 2016: The Year of Living Dangerously'. Revista de Ciencia Politica, . [Link] [DOI]
    2024 John Brown (2024) 'Trajectories and Legacies of Outsider Party-Building: The Rise and Fall of Spain’s Podemos'. Critical Sociology, . [DOI]
    2025 John Brown (2025) 'Oligarchy, Populism, Democracy: Re-conceptualizing Democratization and De-democratization in the Neoliberal Era'. Socialism and Democracy, . [DOI]
    2025 John Brown (2025) 'The Decline of Greece’s SYRIZA: Moderation, Factionalism, Oligarchization, and Weak Popular Counterpower'. New Political Science, .

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2022 John Brown (2022) Conference of the European Council for Social Research on Latin America (CEISAL) Anti-neoliberal Parties and Popular Movements: Andean and Southern European cases in Comparative Perspective Helsinki, Finland, .
    2019 John Brown (2019) Political Studies Association of Ireland (PSAI) Inequality and Democratisation in Evo Morales’ Bolivia: Advances, limitations and lessons for the Left Maynooth, .
    2018 John Brown (2018) International Congress of Americanistas (ICA) Beyond the confines of market democracy? Lessons from Bolivarian Venezuela Salamanca, .
    2018 John Brown (2018) International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Popular power and the ‘proceso de cambio’ in Bolivia: The view from El Alto Barcelona, .
    2016 John Brown (2016) Democratization and the Radical-Left in Latin America: Lessons and legacies from Bolivia and Venezuela Venezuela’s Multiple Public Spheres: The influence of historical organization on contemporary participation Tulane University, New Orleans, .
    2015 John Brown (2015) Swinging back? Winds of change after a decade of the Latin American Left The Responsible State: An analysis of post-neoliberal power networks in Left-led Latin America ILAS, London, .
    2023 John Brown (2023) Historical Materialism Deepening democracy in Post-neoliberal Bolivia and Venezuela: Advances and Setbacks Athens, Greece, 20/04/2023-23/04/2023.
    2023 John Brown (2023) MOVICON MOVICON Invited Seminar series Trajectories and legacies of outsider party-building: The rise and fall of Spain’s Podemos Universidad Complutense Madrid, . https://ucm.es/movicon/seminario
    2024 John Brown (2024) Latin American Studies Association Revitalizing popular counterpower in Venezuela: Tensions between the PSUV and communes in the construction of 21st century socialism Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, .
    2024 John Brown (2024) Sociological Association of Ireland Radical-left governments and popular sector relations: Tensions and contradictions in the building of Venezuela’s Communes . Maynooth University, Ireland, .

    Magazine Article

    Year Publication
    2022 John Brown (2022) “I Left Venezuela to Defend the Constitution”: An Interview with Luisa Ortega Díaz. [Magazine Article] [Link]

    Other Journal

    Year Publication
    2025 John Brown (2025) 'El declive de Podemos en España: Moderación, faccionalismo, oligarquización y débil del contrapoder popular' Revista de Estudios Globales: Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social, 4 (8) .
    2025 John Brown (2025) 'El chavismo en crisis: Desafiando desde abajo el giro neoliberal-autoritario del PSUV en Venezuela' Revista de Estudios Globales: Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social, 4 (7) .
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    Latin American Studies Association Member -
    ECPR Political Sociology Standing Group -
    Latin American Solidarity Centre -
    Latin American Studies Association -
    Society for Latin American Studies -

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    01/02/2022 SFI-IRC Pathway Research Fellow Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland
    01/01/2021 Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow Irish Research Council
    01/01/2019 National University of Ireland Early Career Academic National University of Ireland
    01/01/2016 Fulbright Scholar Fulbright Commission, Ireland
    01/01/2016 Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Irish Research Council
    01/01/2016 John and Pat Hume Scholarship Maynooth University

    Committees

    Committee Function From / To
    Sociology Departmental Committee for Research Promotion Participant -
    Faculty of Social Sciences, Maynooth University Committee Member -
    Journal Revista de Estudios Globales: Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social Advisory Committee Member -

    Employment

    Employer Position From / To
    Maynooth University Assistant Lecturer 01/09/2018 - 31/01/2022
    Maynooth University IRC Pathway Research Fellow 01/02/2022 - 31/01/2026
    National University of Ireland Maynooth Assistant Lecturer 01/10/2021 - 31/01/2022
    National University of Ireland Maynooth Irish Research Council Pathway Research Fellow 01/02/2022 - 31/01/2026
    Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow 01/10/2020 - 30/09/2021
    National University of Ireland, Maynooth Lecturer 01/09/2018 - 30/06/2020
    National University of Ireland, Maynooth Politics Tutor 01/09/2015 - 30/06/2018

    Education

    Start date Institution Qualification Subject
    Trinity Collge Dublin BA (Mod.) Economics and Social Studies Economics, Business, Social Studies
    Epigeum Epigeum Research Integrity – Social and Behavioural Sciences Research Integrity
    Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis Applying Regression Applying Regression
    Maynooth University PhD Sociology
    University of Oslo Case Studies Research Methods Case Study Research Methods
    DCU Second Class Honours Masters in International Development
    01/10/2014 National University of Ireland, Maynooth PhD
    05/07/2018 University of Oslo Case Study Research Methods
    01/09/2003 Trinity College Dublin BA Economics and Social Studies
    13/07/2015 University of Essex Introduction to Regression
    01/09/2009 Dublin City University MA Development

    Languages

    Language Reading Writing Speaking
    Spanish Fluent Fluent Fluent

    Other Activities

    Description
    I was selected by the Fulbright Commission, Ireland to be the Campus Ambassador for Maynooth University.
    Fulbright Commission Ireland Interview panel member, and application reviewer for Scholar and Student awards
    Scientific Steering Committee, Revista de Estudios Globales: Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social,

    Editorial / Academic Reviews

    Amount Role From / To
    Revista de Ciencia Politica Reviewer -
    Revista Cidob D'Afers Internacionals Reviewer -
    Journal of Language and Politics Reviewer -
    Oxford Research Encyclopaedia of Politics Reviewer -
    Critical Sociology Reviewer -
    Revista de Estudios Globales: Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social, Consulting Editor -
    Studies in Comparative International Development Reviewer -
    New Political Science Reviewer -

    Outreach Activities

    Organisation Type Description
    Fulbright Ireland Civic Society Fulbright Ambassador to Maynooth University [Link]

    Teaching Interests

    Comparative politics, Political Institutions; Irish Politics and Society; Latin American Politics, Social Movements, Democratisation, Revolution, Power, Political Ideologies, Political Economy of Development.  

    Recent Students

    Graduation date Name Degree
    2027 Eimhin O'Reilly PhD
    2026 Nikolaos Manaras PhD

    Internal Collaborators

    Name Company Role Country
    Barry Cannon Co-author