From the third wave of democratization

: 1974 : to the "democratic recession" : 2014 : is the current "democratic recession" a reality, or just a myth?

Abstract

There are many people I would like to thank for their support during the dissertation writing. Sara, my precious friend who, by our ever-lasting conversations, has helped me through this big challenge. Nuno, the best friend anyone could ask for, by constantly teasing me on the risks of democracy, made me reflect on, and become passionate about, this subject. José Miguel, the kindest person I know, whose enormous patience made this writing an even more pleasant journey. I would also like to thank my parents, who have always supported my choices. I would have never get in this adventure if it were not for their endless strength. I must thank my dear sister who wrote her thesis at the same time. Thank you for always brewing me coffee. I could not go on without thanking Professor Rita Seabra Brito and Michelle Lobo. They taught me how to embrace responsibilities; and they are truly responsible for the person I am today. A thought must go to the Institute for Political Studies for providing me with the warmest environment. I must thank deeply Professor Mónica Dias since she played a fundamental role in the choice of this topic. I discovered Samuel Huntington through her, and I could not be more grateful. Her guidance was crucial. At last, but certainly not least, the most important person to thank is, without any doubt, Professor João Carlos Espada who kindly accepted to be my thesis supervisor, and has believed in me. Professor Espada has always thoughtful words to cheer me up, but he has continuously shown the most generous sincerity toward my work, hoping that I would get better by the day. I do hope I did not let him down.

Date of Award	30 Jul 2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	João Carlos Espada (Supervisor)