Politics of Church-State & Service Delivery

Olá, seja bem vindo!

Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Politics · University of Virginia

Portrait of Ingrid Neves Magalhães

Bio

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Politics at the University of Virginia, specializing in Comparative Politics and Methods. My research examines church–state relations, social assistance, and public service delivery in Brazil, including responses to violence against women. I am a native of Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa! Growing up there exposed me both to the beauty and inequalities of life in a large metropolis. Community was always a central pillar in our home, and my Christian upbringing deeply shaped my worldview and ultimately my interest in the relationship between religious communities, public institutions, and social needs.

In my dissertation project, Where the Pulpit Meets the State, I examine how state and non-state institutions interact in the provision of public services. Focusing on the relationship between Protestant churches and state actors, I investigate how these institutions coordinate, complement, and at times substitute for one another in responding to social needs, including domestic violence, victim support, and access to justice. My broader research agenda explores state capacity, institutional coordination, and the role of non-state actors in shaping service delivery and citizens' access to the state.

My work has been supported by multiple research grants, including Summer Graduate Research Grants from UVA Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (2024, 2025), funding from the Karsh Institute's Local Equity and Democracy Initiative (2024), and the UVA Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation (2025). Additional research grants include the Albert Gallatin Graduate Research Fellowship (2026), and the Quantitative Collaborative Grant (2026). I am a recipient of the Mark D. Brazeal Graduate Fellowship for Outstanding Academic Achievement and have conducted extensive fieldwork in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. I am also a Visiting Scholar at two distinguished Brazilian academic institutions: the Centro de Estudos e Administração Pública e Governo (CEAPG) hosted under the Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV EAESP), and the International Relations Institute (IRI) at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio).

Prior to starting this incredible (and humbling) PhD journey, I earned an MA in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, a BA in Government from Smith College, and an AA from Norwalk Community College.

Portrait of Ingrid Neves Magalhães

The Scholar

My research broadly examines how states and non-state institutions shape the design and delivery of public services, with particular attention to state capacity, political representation, and institutional access. I am especially interested in how formal policies are translated into everyday practice in contexts marked by inequality, uneven state presence, and reliance on non-state actors to meet social needs.

A central part of this agenda examines church–state relations, particularly the role of Protestant churches as non-state institutions involved in social support and service provision. Brazil serves as a key case through which I study these relationships, given the growing institutional and social presence of Protestant churches alongside significant variation in state capacity and access to public services. I investigate how churches interact with public agencies, when they complement or substitute for state services, and how these relationships shape citizens' access to assistance, protection, and formal institutions.

Within this broader framework, I also study the institutions that respond to violence against women in Brazil, including specialized police units, courts, health services, and social assistance networks. I examine how political representation, bureaucratic capacity, and coordination across institutions influence the availability, implementation, and effectiveness of these services. By combining municipal-level data with qualitative fieldwork, my research seeks to understand how state capacity, institutional coordination, and state–non-state relations shape public service delivery and citizens' access to the state.

View my research →

Research

Dissertation Project

"Where the Pulpit Meets the State: Church-State Coordination in the Politics of Service Delivery in Brazil"

I investigate how Protestant churches and state actors interact in the provision of social assistance and public services, with particular attention to contexts in which state presence is uneven. Within this broader framework, I examine responses to domestic violence, including how church–state coordination shapes reporting practices, victim support, referrals, and access to protection and justice.

Working Paper

"The Role of Descriptive Representation on Gendered Institutions in Brazil"

Draft

Other Research

Azouz, K. B., Gaitlin, J., Neves Magalhaes, I., Venkatesan, J., & Wilson, K. (2021). "Cross-Saharan Migration to Tunisia: A Case Study of West African Workers and Students."

The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Journeys Project. October 2021.

Neves Magalhaes, I. "Violence Against Women in Brazil: Public Policy and Its Implementation in Rural Areas."

Harvard Review of Latin America (ReVista). November 2022.

Teaching Portfolio

Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Virginia

Spring 2026

PLIR 2030

International Relations in East Asia

An introduction to leading theories in the field of international relations with reference to major events in the history of diplomacy, war, and economic relations in the East Asian region.

Fall 2025

PLCP 1010

Introduction to Comparative Politics

An introduction to Comparative Politics that surveys the major themes, theories, and methods of domestic politics around the globe in the modern era.

Spring 2025

PLCP 2420

Politics of Modernity

This course introduces key analytical concepts used by Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim in their analysis of how the development of modern society has shaped the nature of modern politics.

Fall 2024

PLCP 3330

Politics of Latin America

An overview of politics in Latin America, including the legacies of the colonial period, import-substituting industrialization and populism, transitions to democracy, and the performance of democratic institutions.

Student Feedback

"I just wanted to say that I think you are a fantastic TA, and your passion and enthusiasm for the topic is obvious. You are a very bright and pleasant person to be around, and I actually looked forward to coming to your discussion section."
"Ingrid always listened to what we had to say during class and encouraged everyone to participate. It was a much more comfortable atmosphere than a lot of discussion sections I've had."
"Ingrid's discussion sections revolved around simulation activities, small group discussions, and discussions that were based around the active participation of the entire class. She gently corrects factual inaccuracies but strongly encourages us to express our own views."

CV

Curriculum Vitae

View the complete CV in PDF format.

View CV
Open for academic collaborations and research opportunities.

Department: Department of Politics, University of Virginia