Political Networks and Social Movements

<ul> <li> The use of the concept of ‘political networks’ is new in the field and offers theoretical insights into the way politics function and on how more stable political contexts (that favour democratic rule) could be built.</li> <li> To my knowledge the first scholarly work (in English) to cover the first 10 years of the Morales government building on extensive empirical analysis.</li> <li> Understanding/explaining central role of Morales’ leadership from a different perspective than populism caudillismo and authoritarianism: network leadership.</li> <li> The work makes specific reference and details the decisive role of (indigenous) social movements in the political process in Bolivia in their relation with the State. However it amplifies the analysis to include and make visible the role by other important actors – the media and NGOs – that have an important impact on the relation and the political process.</li></ul>