Ainara Mancebo holds a PhD and an MSc in Political Science and Public Administration, specialised in Comparative Democracy, from the UNED University (Spain); a BA in Journalism from the University of Ramon Llull (Spain); and a BA (Hons) in Contemporary History from the University of Salamanca (Spain). Ainara has worked as an independent scholar and public affairs consultant from South Africa since 2012. Before she gained experience as a journalist/communication official in NGOs, international and private organisations. In Spain, France, the United Nations Headquarters in New York and now in South Africa.
Her current research portfolio addresses the challenges of democratisation and democratic consolidation. Her work focuses on institutional change, parties’ behaviour engaged in the process of institutional change, legislative institutions, and party systems. Her research has been published in indexed publications, including PS: Political Science & Politics, Journal of Legislative Studies, Politikon, Insight on Africa, and Revista Española de Ciencia Política. Follow me on Bluesky for regular updates about my research. Scroll down to access my articles. Or If you are interested in my curriculum, click LinkedIn.
Ainara Mancebo Tips
Tras realizar el master y doctorado sobre democracia en el departamento de ciencias políticas y administración de la Universidad UNED aterricé en Sudáfrica donde resido y realizo investigación sobre el sistema político sudafricano desde el año 2012. Mis investigaciones sobre el sistema político sudafricano han sido publicadas en inglés y español en revistas científicas de alto impacto. He realizado seminarios y webinars para la asociación de politólogos sudafricanos, de la que soy miembro ,y en congresos internacionales. Sígueme en Bluesky para estar al día de mis investigaciones sobre el sistema político sudafricano. Si quieres ver o leer la lista de artículos académicos scroll down. O si te interesa mi currículum: Linkedin.
Latest Publications
Indexed Political Science Journals
- The South African Parliament’s Capacity to Constrain the Executive Branch Weakened by a Dominant Party System. PS: Political Science&Politics. January 2025
- Populism and parliamentary opposition parties: The Economic Freedom Fighters Party Behaviour in the South African Parliament. The Journal of Legislative Studies. August 2023
- South African Opposition Party Behaviour Under the National State of Disaster to Respond to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Politikon. April 2021
- Stability and Governability the Benign Effects of Party Dominance in South Africa. Insight on Africa. December 2020
- Parties’ motivations for electoral reform under the democratic transition in South Africa. Revista Española de Ciencia Política, Vol 50, 2019
- La transformación de los sistemas electorales: la reforma electoral durante la transición democrática en Sudáfrica». Revista Latinoamericana de Política Comparada, Vol.11, Quito: Celaep, 2016
International Congress Presentations
- 28th World Congress of Political Science-IPSA. Seoul. Ainara Mancebo. 2025. The Dominant Party System in South Africa has Weakened Parliament’s Ability to Effectively Challenge the Executive. 28th World Congress of Political Science-IPSA. Seoul.
- 26th World Congress of Political Science-IPSA. Lisbon. Ainara Mancebo. 2021. New Populism in the South African Parliament.
- 8th European Conference on African Studies-ECAS8. Edinburgh. Ainara Mancebo. 2019. Party dominance System in South Africa. Eightieth European Conference on African Studies-ECAS8. Edinburgh.
- 25th World Congress of Political Science-IPSA. Brisbane. Ainara Mancebo. 2018. Governability, Stability and Legitimacy: benign effects of party dominance system in the South African emerging democracy to transform the society.
- 5th European Conference on African Studies-ECAS5. Lisbon. Ainara Mancebo. 2013. Transformation of the electoral systems. The case of study of South Africa.
Sudáfrica Tips 