Michael A. Paarlberg
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Virginia Commonwealth University
Welcome to my site. I am an assistant professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. I am also an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. I was also the chief Latin America policy adviser to the Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign.
I have a Ph.D. in political science from Georgetown University. I was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity, Race, and Immigration at the University of Pennsylvania, and a contributor to the Guardian.
My current book project is on drivers of migration and diaspora politics in Mexico, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic.
I also serve as an expert witness in immigration and asylum cases involving Latin American security issues.
Please follow the links in the menu for more about my academic and policy publications, journalism, and teaching. You can find my CV here.
Read more about research on immigration and diaspora politics in:
AS/COA's Latin America In Focus
The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute
Read more about my research on gangs and citizen security in:
Duke Center for International Development
See my profiles in:
Recent op-eds:
"Latin America's Pink Tide Is an Opportunity for Washington" (Foreign Policy)
"Why El Salvador's Mass Arrests Won't Lower the Murder Rate" (Washington Post)
"Why the 'Cool Dictator' of El Salvador Went All-In on Bitcoin" (Slate)
"The Emerging Gang State in El Salvador" (Global Americans) / "El estado emergente pandilla en El Salvador" (El Diario de Hoy)
"Why Is America Cooperating with Militaries Running Criminal Rackets?" (Foreign Policy)
"Want to Counter Authoritarianism in Central America? Follow the Money" (with Ricardo Valencia, Foreign Policy)
"The Elections in El Salvador Could Make or Break Biden's Central America Policy" (with Ricardo Valencia, Washington Post)
"China was already winning over the US's neighbors. Trump's COVID-19 response just makes Beijing's job easier." (Business Insider)
"El Salvador's President Sent Troops to Occupy the Legislature. Here's What's Going On." (Washington Post)
"It's Not Just a Coup: Bolivia's Democracy is in Meltdown" (Washington Post)
"Paying Tipped Workers Better Wouldn't Lead to Fewer Restaurant Jobs" (with Teofilo Reyes, Washington Post)
Media appearances:
La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador) 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Insight Crime 1 | 2 | 3
Feel free to contact me at mapaarlberg (at) vcu (dot) edu. Follow me on Twitter @mpaarlberg.