{"id":3252,"date":"2024-10-10T00:52:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T03:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/?p=3252"},"modified":"2026-10-12T16:23:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T19:23:14","slug":"shila-vilker-public-opinion-political-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/2024\/10\/10\/shila-vilker-public-opinion-political-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Shila Vilker: \u201cTo study public opinion, you have to set aside your biases\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Shila Vilker is the director of Trespuntozero<\/a>, the public opinion consulting firm that was one of the most talked-about during the 2023 election campaign due to the accuracy of its predictions. With a bachelor\u2019s degree in Communication Sciences and a master\u2019s degree in Culture and Communication from the University of Buenos Aires, she spent years combining her academic career\u2014with scholarships from the UBA and CONICET\u2014with research applied to the political sphere. In 2011, she founded Trespuntozero after having been a member of Noesis, and since then she has worked both in Argentina and in other Latin American countries.<\/p>\n\n

The conversation began with current events\u2014the university veto, public opinion amid a climate of argumentative confusion\u2014and gradually shifted toward deeper questions: how to study a society that can no longer sit together in the same room, what ethnography means in working-class communities, and why memes often arrive before the news. Shila spoke about her teachers, her thwarted ambition to become a librarian, and the day she entered a one-way-mirror observation room (known locally as a sala Gesell) for the first time and knew she wanted one of her own.<\/p>\n\n

By Lucas Malaspina<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\n\n

The University Veto and Argumentative Confusion<\/h2>\n\n

What\u2019s your take on the veto, and what do you think is going on with the university?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Well, let\u2019s see\u2014the first thing I\u2019ll say is that the public opinion landscape is very confusing. I\u2019d say it\u2019s a climate dominated by argumentative confusion, and that even extends to those who advocate for a university system that\u2019s both free and high-quality. The other factor to consider is that the university remains a major mechanism for social mobility. I\u2019m a product of the public university system\u2014the first in my family to attend college\u2014and, of course, like many other students, I studied and worked very hard. But it\u2019s possible to receive a quality education largely because there\u2019s an institutional dynamic that allows access for less affluent sectors of society. I don\u2019t know if these are the lowest sectors of society, but they are certainly sectors that otherwise would not have access. So, the value of the institution is not in question. I also believe that, generally speaking, the issue of public education in Argentina is a value, even for people who support the presidential veto. In fact, note that one of the arguments being raised today goes something like this: \u201cWell, but we have to look at elementary school; we have to look at high school. Students aren\u2019t getting there, or they\u2019re arriving with a poor-quality education.\u201d So, the discussion isn\u2019t about public education itself\u2014whether it\u2019s a \u201cyes\u201d or a \u201cno\u201d; the veto is based on these different layers of argumentation that create a scene of great confusion.<\/p>\n\n

Another factor to keep in mind is that a legislative victory isn\u2019t necessarily a victory in public opinion. With the veto affecting retirees, what you saw was a triumph in Congress and a blow to the president\u2019s image\u2014which, incidentally, has already begun to stabilize again. In other words, he took a hit and is now back on his feet, finding a new footing. We\u2019ll have to see if the same thing happens with the education sector. I believe that, for the government, the dispute with the university is more symbolic than financial in nature. There\u2019s something there that has to do with staking out a position, a place on the chessboard. You see, words carry weight: conviction isn\u2019t the same as stubbornness. But anyway, I\u2019d say it\u2019s a foothold in a certain place, and I think that\u2019s kind of the main message.<\/p>\n\n

I had three out of every ten Milei voters supporting the veto. So it\u2019s a cost that\u2019s going to affect one in four of his voters\u2014it\u2019s not without cost either. But there\u2019s an area where what I was just mentioning comes into play, which is the convergence of many different arguments. A high-quality public university, yes, but what about transparency? High-quality public universities, yes, but what about elementary school, high school, and the politicization of universities? That\u2019s where it all gets muddled. It\u2019s a jumble of arguments\u2014it\u2019s chaotic.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Protest calling for a budget increase for Argentine universities<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

A friend of mine has a quote on her WhatsApp that says: \u201cIf you can\u2019t convince them, confuse them.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Confuse them. In other words, taken in the abstract, all arguments can carry weight. They\u2019re all worthy of consideration. The thing is, then you have to vote, right? So it seems to me that this organizing principle of \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d\u2014and the fact that political decisions often come at a cost, one way or the other\u2014also contributes to widespread confusion. The issue is a difficulty in prioritizing arguments. It\u2019s not that there\u2019s a lack of arguments\u2014on the contrary: there\u2019s an overabundance of arguments in Argentina today. So, the problem is one of prioritization and perspective, and in part that has to do with the lack of alternative leaders, of new leaders, of leaders capable of crafting discourses that help organize the issues. I believe this is the newest phenomenon we\u2019re seeing in the very substance of public opinion, which ultimately consists of words and arguments.<\/p>\n\n

The university\u2014and the UBA in particular\u2014is supposed to be well-regarded in public opinion. Now, part of this decision, as you were saying, isn\u2019t so much driven by budgetary considerations as by the government\u2019s political convictions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s a symbolic gesture.<\/p>\n\n

A symbolic gesture?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s about symbolic signaling. It\u2019s a symbolic act. It signals a stance, showing the president\u2019s conviction regarding the zero deficit and that course of action, whatever the social cost may be. I believe the novelty may also lie in the issue of the streets, because so far we\u2019ve seen a government that feels very comfortable in conflict. We must acknowledge that there is a masterful ability to navigate conflict\u2014even to generate it and provoke it. But until now, that conflict has had virtually no presence on the streets. The streets as a risky zone of conflict are almost unknown to this government, except for the April 23 march, which was quite large. Now you\u2019re starting to see the healthcare and education sectors joining in. We\u2019ll have to see how the government reacts to a dynamic on the streets that it hasn\u2019t experienced so far. It seems to me that this is also a new development on the scene.<\/p>\n\n

Trespuntozero conducted an analysis\u2014I understand with Alaska as well\u2014on the topic of social protest. What can you tell us about that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

There is social acceptance of protest when fundamental rights are threatened. It\u2019s not that there\u2019s a blanket rejection of everything. There\u2019s a rejection of certain social actors: protest itself is still alive and well, but there\u2019s a rejection of the labor movement and the world of social movements. Argentina today has a problem with trust in institutions in general. That\u2019s why teachers and doctors are spared. And that\u2019s why this is difficult for the government, because these are groups that still have a positive image. Now, if you ask about business leaders, journalists, politicians, Congress, pollsters, or YouTubers, there\u2019s a widespread loss of trust in others\u2014even in fellow Argentines. And that\u2019s very characteristic of anti-political societies. Anti-politics and distrust go hand in hand. The more anti-political the sentiment, the greater the distrust of public figures and institutions. But protest as a mechanism of expression, in the abstract, still holds value.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Methods, one-way-mirror observation rooms, and ethnography in working-class communities<\/h2>\n\n

What is your work like in terms of the different methods used to gauge public opinion? There are surveys, focus groups, and variations depending on the medium and the age of the respondents. How do you ensure it works as well as possible, given that it\u2019s not an exact science but rather indicates trends?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

First of all, we enjoy conducting research. The researcher\u2019s mindset is important because it involves setting aside prejudices. We conduct social research, and to do so, I believe the first step is to start with a clean slate\u2014without prejudices, without preferences, without thinking, \u201cI like this\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t like that.\u201d We try to think without bias and look unflinchingly at what\u2019s actually there. Sometimes you see things and say, \u201cNo, this can\u2019t be.\u201d Are you sure? Could it really be that way?<\/p>\n\n

We work with all qualitative methods. Focus groups became very popular. They entered the Argentine lexicon as a category\u2014a sort of magic. We heard Moreno say, \u201cEnough with the focus groups.\u201d In other words, they became part of the political landscape. It\u2019s true that a few years ago, qualitative research was less prevalent, partly because it\u2019s harder to present its results. Polls have the \u201chorse race\u201d analogy working in their favor. You see: How are they doing? Who\u2019s winning? Who has the best image? These are easy to visualize. Polls earned their place as a social mirror long ago. Because, ultimately, well-conducted social research, when presented to society, holds up a mirror that reflects something no single individual thinks of in particular, but which all of them collectively embody. That\u2019s something very valuable, especially for those who consume news about polls\u2014which I know gets a lot of clicks.<\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s as valuable as looking in a mirror. Furthermore, the dissemination of information about what we think is part of democratic processes. Focus groups have become increasingly widespread over the past 15 years. Proof that they also existed before is that Buenos Aires had many one-way-mirror observation rooms, which is where they are conducted.<\/p>\n\n

And were they used more for market research?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

They were used extensively for market research, but also for political research. And I believe that qualitative research is very valuable for political research. Of course, it\u2019s more artisanal. The design of the instrument, the moderation, the design of which segments you\u2019re going to target, the interpretation, and the analysis\u2014all of that is artisanal. There\u2019s significant added value provided by the analyst and the team. Not all studies turn out the same. And then there are less widely used research methods, such as ethnography.<\/p>\n\n

What is ethnography?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Focus groups are very much a lab-based approach. People go into a one-way-mirror observation room, which is like…<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A scene from the popular series \u201cMad Men\u201d showing a focus group in action<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Like something out of\u00a0Mad Men<\/em>, it seems.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Absolutely. You have a lab scene there. People leave their neighborhood and enter that lab with its nonexistent fourth wall: a mirror on one side, glass on the other. Ethnography, in contrast, is where things actually happen. It goes to the here and now of people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n

And then there\u2019s a film that was shown to me once\u2014Daniela Barbieri and Augusto Reina showed it to me in their seminar\u2014which was a film from Bolivia. I think it\u2019s called\u00a0Our Brand Is Crisis<\/em>. It\u2019s about Gonzalo S\u00e1nchez de Lozada\u2019s campaign\u2014basically Bolivia\u2019s De la R\u00faa\u2014and he allowed the entire campaign to be filmed. So there are these focus groups when everything blows up, and people are saying, \u201cI can\u2019t make ends meet anymore.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Yes, well. And ethnography, unlike that, is where things actually happen. We conduct ethnography in working-class neighborhoods because, in general, the lowest socioeconomic sectors of society don\u2019t participate in focus groups\u2014or it\u2019s harder to get them to participate\u2014due to the very dynamics of how speech is distributed, who gets to speak, and the scope of the discussion. Just as all quantitative methods have a slight bias, qualitative methods also face greater challenges in lower socioeconomic sectors. So that\u2019s where ethnography comes in. And of course, you do ethnography when you want to find out specific things. A great ethnographer is Javier Auyero; for me, he\u2019s the person who trained me and one of Argentina\u2019s greatest ethnographers. The first ethnographic study I conducted was under his guidance, many years ago now, in Ingeniero Budge, where I was examining educational issues. Later, I conducted another study on the patience and waiting experienced by working-class communities in their dealings with the state, titled\u00a0Pacientes del Estado<\/em>\u2014the book that emerged from that research, which draws on many hours of ethnographic fieldwork in social development offices.<\/p>\n\n

People go there, take a number, and wait until someone calls them to try to address their need. And in the meantime, while they wait, things happen. It\u2019s an exploration of the experience of that waiting situation\u2014how the state is perceived and, conversely, how the state\u2019s beneficiaries are perceived. These are things you can\u2019t study unless you\u2019re right there where it\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Culture, Politics, and the Problem of the Icon<\/h2>\n\n

How do you go about understanding the different cultural frameworks in such a diverse society? What is the role of culture in social or political research?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I believe that in political research, politics takes precedence. Politics takes precedence in the sense that there\u2019s always a major organizing factor: the results of the last election. So, each election isn\u2019t a complete reset. People develop their political trajectories, their thoughts, and their preferences based on their personal history. Looking at the most recent election results also helps you understand\u2014or at least make sense of\u2014that chaos. Then, of course, there are things that seem to have nothing to do with politics but have a tremendous impact. I don\u2019t know\u2014I\u2019m thinking of how much speculation there was, back when it was all the rage, about\u00a0El Joker<\/em>, as if there were certain moods that cinema manages to express and convey. You can\u2019t understand new politics in isolation from the transformation of the media, media consumption, and the explosion of alternative media. \u201cAlternative\u201d isn\u2019t even the right word, because it\u2019s a shift\u2014a reconfiguration of the playing field.<\/p>\n\n

On the other hand, politics desperately needs culture, because culture is more radical. It allows you to convey something that wouldn\u2019t otherwise happen. Think about the visual arts, about design. What a visual artist or a director can convey. That also drives things forward, plays a role. Politics, especially in the pop democracy we live in, is very much about iconography. All our great leaders are iconic.<\/p>\n\n

And those who aren\u2019t iconic don\u2019t really catch on.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

And they face major problems. Being a leader means becoming an icon as well. And there\u2019s nothing more pop than an icon. Our current president is very iconic\u2014tremendously pop.<\/p>\n\n

He\u2019s very skilled at achieving that.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Yes, absolutely.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Media consumption: TV, the algorithm, and the meme that arrives before the news<\/h2>\n\n

Last year, you published something in the middle of the campaign about the sources of information used by different sectors. What can you tell us about that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I don\u2019t remember what I published. Last year was so fast-paced.<\/p>\n\n

It was something along the lines of: certain sectors use YouTube; other sectors use digital media.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Things that come out of survey analyses where you can see consumption preferences based on profiles. In our line of work, the idea of profiling audiences and developing ways to reach them based on that is very much a part of what we do. I\u2019d say that TV still reigns supreme in many ways. If I had to give you my take on it, I think what\u2019s counterintuitive is that in a world that\u2019s exploding with content, television still remains central. When you look at the Milei phenomenon, it was consumed on social media. But what were people actually consuming on social media? Clips from the television phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n

And he first made it onto social media by appearing on TV.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

As a TV panelist. So, it\u2019s true that it\u2019s a digital phenomenon\u2014driven by social media and algorithms. There were things we observed, such as security guards working the night shift saying in focus groups: \u201cToday we\u2019re going to do the Milei marathon.\u201d They\u2019d send WhatsApp messages to coworkers keeping watch in other buildings and say: \u201cHey, let\u2019s put this on, let\u2019s watch this, come on.\u201d Now, the \u201cMilei marathon\u201d is made up of TV clips. You look for the first one, then the algorithm\u2014you don\u2019t know what it\u2019ll show you next. But the raw material is still TV; it\u2019s still the raw material of the news. The major media outlets remain the primary gatekeepers. So you have a phenomenon of severe fragmentation in the media system, and at the same time, live TV and the news broadcast continue to play a central role, still setting the agenda.<\/p>\n\n

Then there are new developments. Young audiences consume the news in reverse. They see a meme and don\u2019t understand it. They see another meme and don\u2019t understand it. By the third one, they say: \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know what happened here; I\u2019m going to look up the news.\u201d So the meme ends up serving as a news trigger. It\u2019s not the news that draws people to the meme; rather, it\u2019s the meme that draws people to the news.<\/p>\n\n

Incidentally.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Absolutely. I mean, you enter social life, political life, through memes, through criticism. That\u2019s also a hallmark of the new political subject. I remember when I was little; we bought three newspapers at home. It wasn\u2019t a particularly political household\u2014it was a family of shopkeepers, where you had to kill time. And we\u2019d read the newspaper from back to front: we\u2019d start with the jokes, a bit like with memes\u2014you know what I mean? We\u2019d start with the joke and then work our way forward. I think there\u2019s something to the idea that if you don\u2019t start with the joke, you can\u2019t digest it. Those things also play a role in terms of access to public life.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

From a UBA scholarship to her own one-way-mirror observation room<\/h2>\n\n
\"\"
Shila Vilker\u2019s only book (at least for now)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

You talked about your childhood and about someone who played an important role in your development. I\u2019d like you to tell me how you came to do what you\u2019re doing now\u2014and whether you imagined it when you were a girl.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

No, I didn\u2019t imagine it because I wanted to be a librarian. I had a brief academic career focused on research training: I held UBA scholarships and later a CONICET scholarship. In fact,\u00a0Truculencia<\/em>, this little book you mentioned, grew out of a research-training grant from the University of Buenos Aires. The impulse toward curiosity and the vocation for research were there from very early on. I applied for my first scholarship in \u201994, so it was many years ago. And then, ten years later, I had that career in research and teaching. I was fortunate enough to enter a one-way-mirror observation room in the middle of a campaign. When I walked in, I said, \u201cWow! I want a laboratory like this for myself.\u201d Two years later, I had my own observation room and started working. That was in 2007. We partnered with several university professors\u2014friends, enormously talented and brilliant people. We threw ourselves into the work and then, as with everything in life, it began and it ended. We care deeply about one another, but it ended. And in 2011-2012, I struck out on my own with Trespuntozero.<\/p>\n\n

Noesis came before that. And I was already on my own with Trespuntozero in 2011.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Yes, around 2011-2012.<\/p>\n\n

And what was it like to start a business on your own?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Not alone\u2026 you\u2019re never alone.<\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s always a network.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a network, either. It\u2019s true that you have to have an entrepreneurial spirit. The observation room I have now is the third or fourth one I\u2019ve built. They\u2019re challenges, too. Research involves a lot of hands-on work. It\u2019s not just sitting down, reading, and writing\u2014though that\u2019s part of it\u2014but it has a practical dimension; research is grueling. And running a business is grueling, too. It requires you to throw yourself into it. But well, the more you do, the more you do. The less you do, the less you do.<\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s what my mom says.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I don\u2019t know how it works, but I think that\u2019s how it works.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Latin America and a society that no longer sits together<\/h2>\n\n

You work in other countries besides Argentina. What\u2019s that like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

You\u2019re brought in by strategists who trust your numbers, your ability to analyze the situation, or the capabilities of your teams. We have a large team of very talented people. They trust what we see, what we say, and our predictions have been very accurate. Polls alone aren\u2019t enough. Even the best pollster makes mistakes sometimes. Errors are generally due to misinterpretations of the situation. If the work is done well, the method is applied correctly, and the interpretive framework is sound, it should work. In the areas where we perform best, what we do is combine methods: we analyze the data from this method, that one, and another; and if we see shifts, we go out and conduct qualitative research to try to understand them. It happened to us in the last general election, when there was a shift in the final week: Massa was gaining ground and Milei was losing. They hovered around 33, 32, and 34 for almost the entire campaign, and toward the end, Milei dropped to 30 and Massa rose to 36. We had him at 36, and he actually ended up a little higher than that. How did that shift happen? You can see it in the numbers. It\u2019s not statistically significant, but you see it once, you see it the next day, and you see it the day after that. So you have to go out and validate it using another method.<\/p>\n\n

What trends do you see\u2014at least from a Latin American perspective\u2014that represent broader shifts in how citizens, consumers, or voters behave?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Well, I think that getting involved in campaigns is different from working systematically in another country, where you begin to understand a culture in depth. Interpretation ultimately comes down to picking up on cues, and it\u2019s easier when you have an in-depth understanding of a country. There are commonalities across different Latin American countries: the impact of the pandemic\u2014regardless of what you did during it\u2014has generally led to discontent. The pandemic marked a turning point in social life. Anti-political sentiment, which you see everywhere. The rise in distrust of institutions.<\/p>\n\n

Democracy as one option among others.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I wouldn\u2019t put it quite that dramatically. I wouldn\u2019t say democracy is just one option among others, but I would say there is less adherence to democratic values among younger people.<\/p>\n\n

Exactly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

As a topic. Let\u2019s focus: this is a sensitive issue. It\u2019s not chaos yet, but it is something that\u2019s lurking beneath the surface. There are instances of political violence in many parts of Latin America. There are concerns about the drug trade. In some cases, traditional political parties are falling apart, and outsiders are emerging. There are common signs: societies that feel somewhat stifled and exhausted. The transformation of news and media consumption isn\u2019t unique to Argentina; it\u2019s a global phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n

It would be irresponsible of me to claim that I have an in-depth understanding of other cultures. You can do outstanding work with what you know and what you do, but the finer-grained work\u2014understanding small cultural shifts\u2014is another matter entirely. Here, I can tell you about some of those small shifts. For example: when we first started our research, it was really common to conduct focus groups segmented by gender and educational level\u2014it wouldn\u2019t have occurred to anyone to do anything differently. Today, I can\u2019t put together a group without political segmentation. And I think we were one of the first to start doing that. Now, looking back on it, what I think is that this ultimately marks the end of integration. The impossibility of bringing people together is the end of integration.<\/p>\n\n

You say that very calmly, but it\u2019s staggering.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Well, that\u2019s professional know-how. Yes, it\u2019s staggering. Our society has undergone intense changes in recent times. We left the society of integration behind a long time ago. In the 1990s, the concept of social exclusion emerged. It didn\u2019t exist before. In the late 2000s, the political divide emerged. Things are emerging\u2014changes in the landscape accompanied by a new social structure, new sensibilities regarding politics, and the implosion of traditional political parties. Who are they speaking to?<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Readings<\/h2>\n\n

I\u2019d like you to tell us what you\u2019re reading or what you\u2019ve read lately, or what kinds of things are important for you to revisit from time to time. It could be about politics, research, society, culture, literature\u2014whatever it may be.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The most beautiful things I\u2019ve ever read, in general, I read with Le\u00f3nidas Lamborghini, an Argentine poet with whom I studied for many years, back when I was most interested in becoming a librarian. With Le\u00f3nidas, we read the classics, and later I continued reading classics as part of a book club with some friends, which is amazing.<\/p>\n\n

Which one, for example?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Well, one very basic one is\u00a0En busca del tiempo perdido<\/em>. You don\u2019t need to go all the way back to the Greeks. It\u2019s enough to read magnificent, wonderful works from the early twentieth century.\u00a0En busca del tiempo perdido<\/em>\u00a0is an extraordinary, incredible novel in seven volumes. I have to say I have no idea who the author is.<\/p>\n\n

Marcel Proust. A Frenchman.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

A person who was isolated for a long time, now that I think about it. He was also very worldly. Part of the social life he describes\u2014French society in the early years of the century\u2014has to do with the worldly life Proust led. Worldliness,\u00a0socialit\u00e9<\/em>, the exchange with peers on the topics of the time. It\u2019s a spectacular novel. That\u2019s where the image of the madeleine comes from, doesn\u2019t it? The madeleine that transports him back in time.<\/p>\n\n

I have no idea. I have no idea. Now I want you to explain it to me.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s a moment in the novel when he explains that all of this begins because he is eating a madeleine\u2014we might call it a\u00a0cupcake<\/em>\u2014and suddenly the taste transports him back to his childhood, to the countryside where his grandmother had her house, to that church. It\u2019s a beautiful novel. I used to enjoy reading novels, but I can\u2019t anymore: now I read theory.<\/p>\n\n

What have you been reading lately?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Right now I\u2019m reading Grimson\u2019s little book on the libertarian phenomenon. It\u2019s very interesting. I\u2019m also reading a book on political equality by Robert Dahl. A little current affairs, a little classics. These are difficult times for reading. Something in the psyche makes it harder to sustain attention for so long. The connection to reading. But I can do it, and I do. I acknowledge the difficulty.<\/p>\n\n

Thank you very much, Shila, for accepting this invitation. I hope you had a good time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s a pleasure talking with you, Lucas. Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shila Vilker is the director of Trespuntozero, the public opinion consulting firm that was one of the most talked-about during the 2023 election campaign due to the accuracy of its predictions. With a bachelor\u2019s degree in Communication Sciences and a master\u2019s degree in Culture and Communication from the University of Buenos Aires, she spent years 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This excerpt is taken from a broader conversation that took place on my YouTube show \u201cSin pauta\u201d after I learned about her work in the book \u201cAcciones para una buena comunicaci\u00f3n de\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/representa-un-municipio-de-150-000-habitantes-del-interior-de-la-3.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/representa-un-municipio-de-150-000-habitantes-del-interior-de-la-3.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/representa-un-municipio-de-150-000-habitantes-del-interior-de-la-3.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/representa-un-municipio-de-150-000-habitantes-del-interior-de-la-3.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3096,"url":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/2024\/08\/21\/facundo-nejamkis-peronism-milei-public-opinion\/","url_meta":{"origin":3252,"position":2},"title":"Facundo Nejamkis: \u201cPeronism outmaneuvered renewal\u201d","author":"lucasmalaspina","date":"21 de August de 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Facundo Nejamkis holds a degree in political science from the University of Buenos Aires and a master\u2019s degree in Administration and Public Policy from the University of San Andr\u00e9s. He is the director of Opina Argentina, a consulting firm specializing in public opinion surveys; a professor and researcher at CONICET;\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Facundo-Nejamkis.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Facundo-Nejamkis.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Facundo-Nejamkis.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Facundo-Nejamkis.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Facundo-Nejamkis.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3080,"url":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/2024\/09\/18\/natalia-aruguete-agenda-setting-social-media-polarization-milei\/","url_meta":{"origin":3252,"position":3},"title":"Natalia Aruguete: \u201cThe levels of self-censorship in the face of Milei are highly systematic\u201d","author":"lucasmalaspina","date":"18 de September de 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The first time I saw her was in 2017, during a graduate program at\u00a0FLACSO, and I was impressed by her knowledge and teaching style. Natalia Aruguete is a researcher at CONICET, holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the National University of Quilmes\u2014where she also teaches\u2014and is a professor at\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-04-13-a-las-0.37.16.png?fit=1200%2C780&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-04-13-a-las-0.37.16.png?fit=1200%2C780&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-04-13-a-las-0.37.16.png?fit=1200%2C780&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-04-13-a-las-0.37.16.png?fit=1200%2C780&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-04-13-a-las-0.37.16.png?fit=1200%2C780&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3261,"url":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/2024\/10\/02\/mexico-tossolini-amlo-and-claudia-sheinbaum-are-examples-of-representation\/","url_meta":{"origin":3252,"position":4},"title":"Celeste Tossolini (from Mexico): \u201cAMLO and Claudia Sheinbaum are examples of representation\u201d","author":"lucasmalaspina","date":"2 de October de 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"We are facing a very important moment for all of Latin America: Claudia Sheinbaum\u2019s inauguration in Mexico following the largest election in Mexico\u2019s history. That\u2019s why we spoke with Celeste Tossolini, a political scientist at the National University of C\u00f3rdoba. She is Argentine, lives in Mexico, and has been closely\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Captura-de-Pantalla-2024-10-02-a-las-20.50.51.png?fit=1132%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Captura-de-Pantalla-2024-10-02-a-las-20.50.51.png?fit=1132%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Captura-de-Pantalla-2024-10-02-a-las-20.50.51.png?fit=1132%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Captura-de-Pantalla-2024-10-02-a-las-20.50.51.png?fit=1132%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Captura-de-Pantalla-2024-10-02-a-las-20.50.51.png?fit=1132%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3169,"url":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/2026\/08\/07\/milei-against-scaloneta-world-cup-falklands-land-law\/","url_meta":{"origin":3252,"position":5},"title":"Milei Runs Headlong into the Scaloneta: \u201cIn This Land That Is a Wound\u201d","author":"lucasmalaspina","date":"7 de August de 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"From \u201cIndio\u201d Solari\u2019s Funeral to the Land Law: The Libertarian Government Unnecessarily Shoots Itself in the Foot By Lucas Malaspina A chapter that would amend Law 26,737, which since 2011 has limited foreign ownership of rural land to 15%, changed the political landscape: the government offered more than fifteen changes\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IndioSolari.jpeg?fit=678%2C452&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IndioSolari.jpeg?fit=678%2C452&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IndioSolari.jpeg?fit=678%2C452&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucasmalaspina.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ShilaVilker.webp?fit=1024%2C599&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/103004725"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3252"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3254,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3252\/revisions\/3254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lucasmalaspina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}