Welcome!

I am a PhD candidate in Comparative Politics at ICS, University of Lisbon. During my doctoral studies, I enjoyed research stays at the EUI and IPP-CSIC.

My thesis challenges conventional wisdom by examining how party factionalism and preference heterogeneity can have not only negative but also positive effects on both party and voter behavior. In a parallel stream of research, I study the pathways through which underrepresented groups gain access to and shape political institutions, including youth representation and the role of youth wings as “ideological watchdogs” within parties.

Methodologically, I leverage observational data and design, conduct, and analyze randomized experiments with party members and voters, both as partners and subjects. I am also interested in quasi-experimental methods for causal inference. My work has been published in West European Politics, International Political Science Review, and the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, among others.

I am on the 2024/2025 academic job market.

Feel free to reach out to me at hugo.lopes@ics.ulisboa.pt.