He was formerly a research professor at the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, and Professor of Politics and Contemporary European History at ISCTE – Lisbon University Institute, Portugal.

He obtained a BA in history from the Faculty of Letters, University of Lisbon (1982) and holds his doctorate from the European University Institute, Florence (1992).

From 1999 to 2003 he was a visiting professor at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris.

He has been an assistant director of the Contemporary Portuguese History Research Centre since its creation in 1998.

He was research professor at the Institute of Social Sciences (Lisbon University) He was president of the Portuguese Political Science Association (2006-2010) and his research interests include authoritarianism, political elites, democratization and transitional justice in new democracies, the European Union, and the comparative study of political change in Southern Europe.