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Call for Papers – Dossier: Subnational Politics in Latin America

The Third Wave of democratization triggered powerful decentralization pressures that, in federal countries, altered the distribution of power between national and subnational governments, strengthening the latter. These processes and their effects have been captured by an increasingly sophisticated body of literature, which has come a long way since its early days in the 1970s with fragmented studies on national systems. Today, we are witnessing the consolidation of a subdiscipline with growing analytical depth, driven by the rise of comparative studies that have helped refine mid-range theories on subnational government autonomy, political regimes, and public policy.

The goal of this dossier is to gather contributions that reflect this evolution, explore areas for thematic expansion, and enrich the academic debate on subnational politics in Latin America. The region has been especially fertile ground for these studies, and the current context challenges many of the previous conclusions, opening up opportunities to review and rethink our theoretical and methodological tools.

Researchers are invited to submit original works on subnational politics in Latin America. Submissions are expected to reflect the maturity reached by this line of research, both methodologically and substantively, incorporating comparative studies that move beyond single-territory analyses and offer new perspectives on multilevel dynamics.

Some of the guiding questions include: What new dynamics emerge in the relationship between levels of government due to decentralization processes? How does subnational structure affect the stability of democratic regimes? What contributions do comparative studies offer for understanding institutional heterogeneity among territorial units? What conflicts or synergies arise between national and subnational agendas? How do local leaderships impact the formulation and implementation of public policies? What challenges do state capacities present at the subnational level in contexts of political fragmentation?

Submissions will be especially valued if they engage with current theoretical debates and include references to the Argentine case or other countries in the region, as key contexts for addressing these issues.

Submissions must:

• Be original academic articles with theoretical and methodological rigor, including a clear research question, a tentative answer (hypothesis), a literature review, novel contributions, and, where applicable, compelling empirical evidence (essays will not be accepted);
• Be case studies or comparative analyses involving different countries in the region;
• Comply with the length, formatting, and editorial guidelines of Revista SAAP;
• Be written in Spanish, Portuguese, or English;
• Undergo double-blind peer review.

The submission deadline is June 16, 2025.