About Professor Ingram

Matthew C. Ingram's research examines justice sector reforms in Latin America.

Holding a law degree (2006) and a PhD in political science (2009) from the University of New Mexico, Ingram studies the political origins of institutional change and judicial behavior in the region's justice systems, focusing on sub-national courts in Brazil and Mexico. He draws also on a family history in Mexico (born in Guadalajara, Jalisco), extensive fieldwork in Latin America, and seven years of professional experience in law enforcement in California. Ingram's academic work has appeared in several peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. He is completing a book project, “Crafting Courts in New Democracies,” that presents his research on Mexico and Brazil.

Ingram's research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, and the Fulbright Commission.

Prior to arriving at Rockefeller, Ingram held post-doctoral fellowships at the UC San Diego's Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies (2009-2010) and Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute (2011-2012). He was also an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (2010-2011). In 2012-2013, Ingram will offer courses in Comparative Judicial Politics, Comparative Criminal Procedure, and Latin American Politics. Prof. Ingram, born and raised in Mexico, speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Selected Publications

Refereed Articles

• Harbers, Imke, and Matthew C. Ingram [forthcoming 2014]. "Democratic Institutions Beyond the Nation-State: Measuring Institutional Dissimilarity in Federal Countries." Government and Opposition (accepted October 31, 2012).
• Ingram, Matthew C. 2012. “Crafting Courts in New Democracies: Ideology and Judicial Council Reforms in Three Mexican States.” Comparative Politics 44(4) (July): 439-458.
• Ingram, Matthew C. 2012. “Elections, Ideology, or Opposition: Assessing Competing Explanations of Judicial Spending in the Mexican States.” Journal of Law, Economics and Organization; doi: 10.1093/jleo/ewr028 (published online Jan. 31, 2012).

Policy and Research Reports

• Ingram, Matthew C. 2012. "Criminal Procedure Reform in Mexico: Where Things Stand Now." Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Mexico Institute, Washington, D.C.
• Ingram, Matthew C., Octavio Rodriguez Ferreira, and David A. Shirk. 2011. "Assessing Mexico's Judicial Reform: Views of Judges, Prosecutors, and Public Defenders." Special Report (June). Justice in Mexico Project, Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego.
• Ingram, Matthew C., Octavio Rodriguez Ferreira, and David A. Shirk. 2011. "Justiciabarometro: Survey of Judges, Prosecutors, and Public Defenders in Nine Mexican States." Final Report (May). Justice in Mexico Project, Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego.
• Ingram, Matthew C., and David A. Shirk. 2010. “Judicial Reform in Mexico: Toward a New Criminal Justice System.” Special Report (May). Justice in Mexico Project, Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego.