Martin Mejia is the Director of Undergraduate Studies & Lecturer in the Latin American Studies Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, he earned his PhD in Latin American Studies from Tulane University, an MA in Political Theory from the University of Essex, and a BA from the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires.

He has taught at the University of Montevideo in Uruguay and served as a Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Palermo in Argentina. He has also held visiting research appointments at Yale University, the University of Oxford, Cornell University, and the University of Notre Dame.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, Professor Mejia has been appointed as Executive Secretary of the Research Committee on Latin American Politics (RC-54) of the International Political Science Association (IPSA), contributes to the Democrisis Working Group initiative directed by Professor Mabel Moraña (WashU), and has forthcoming presentations at the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), the Southeastern Conference on Latin American Studies (SECOLAS), and the International Political Science Association world congress among other international and regional academic conferences.

Dr. Mejia’s research explores the intersections of political representation, democracy, populism, and religion in Latin America, with particular attention to contemporary intellectual history and democratic theory. His forthcoming book examines the legacy of Argentine political thinker Guillermo O’Donnell and the broader dialogues between Latin American political thought and global democratic debates.

At WashU, Dr. Mejia teaches courses on Latin American studies, political and social thought, cultures of health, and the history of ideas across the region. Convinced that WashU’s most valuable asset is its students, he warmly welcomes supervising senior honors theses and undergraduate research projects focused on South American politics, culture, and society. Outside the classroom, he is a jazz fanatic, a devoted tea enthusiast, and a wine connoisseur who enjoys exploring the cultural worlds these passions open.