Guillermo O'Donnell, the Helen Kellogg Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana . He has published extensively on authoritarianism, democratization, and democratic theory. O'Donnell is former academic director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies of the University of Notre Dame.
	Laurence Whitehead is the Senior Expert on Political Sciences and Director of the Center for Mexican Studies. His interests include the relation between the US and Europe and Latin Americas as well as the contemporary democratic processes. He has published an extensive list of books including the recent East Asia and Latin America : Stirrings of Mutual Recognition?, and The International Dimensions of Democratization (editor and author of two additional chapters), among many others.
	Jonathan Hartlyn is a Political Science Professor and the Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . His research and teaching interests are in the comparative politics of Latin America , especially with relation to questions of democratization, political institutions, and state-society relations. His many publications include Latin America in the Twenty First Century: Toward a New Socio-Political Matrix and The Struggle for Democratic Politics in the Dominican Republic , among many others.
	Rosario Espinal is a Professor of Sociology and the Director of Latin American Studies Center at the University of Temple in Philadelphia . Her interest include political and electoral reform of the Dominican Republic, transitions to democracy of the DR and the relations between the US and the DR. Dr. Espinal has been the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships from prestigious institutions such as the Fulbright and the Heinz Endowment.

These four experts presented their recent theories and arguments on the current status of democracy in Latin America as well as their opinions on future changes. Dr. Espinal and Dr. Hartlyn focused on discussing the politics in the Dominican Republic .

This conference was open to the general public, who intervened actively during the rounds of question and answer. This event is part of FUNGLODE and GFDD efforts and commitment to promote the dialogue and discussion on critical issues relevant to the social, economic and political development of the Dominican Republic . Also, conferences such as this one, provides the opportunity for the general public to become acquainted with high level experts from all over the world.