Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science & International Affairs
Aiden is a PhD candidate in the School of Public & International Affairs with an expected graduation of May 2026.
Education−+
Education
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BA in Political Science, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 2020
More About−+
More About
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Aidan Gonzalez’s research interests include judicial selection and behavior in state courts. His work explores how a judge’s identity affects both their path to the bench and their interactions with the courts as an institution. In connection, Aiden’s dissertation titled: “The Glass Ceiling and Beyond: The Selection, Evaluation, and Promotion of Diverse State Judges”, pays special attention to variation in institutional structure exams the stages of a judge’s time on the bench and how their immutable characteristics affect these stages. He has published research in Polity; Research Handbook on Judicial Politics; and Open Judicial Politics: Companion Reader and served as instructor of record for multiple courses including Introduction to American Government and Judicial Process and behavior.
Honors, Awards, and Achievements−+
Honors, Awards, and Achievements
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The School of Public & International Affairs Excellence in Teaching Award, 2025
Lauth Graduate Fellowship, 2021
Affiliations−+
Affiliations
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Southern Political Science Association Member
American Political Science Association Member
Research Interests−+
Research Interests
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Judicial Politics, REP, Gender & Society, State & Local Politics
Selected Publications−+
Selected Publications
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Teena Wilhelm, Richard L. Vining, David Hughes, and Aidan N. Gonzålez. 2024. “Diversity in Judicial Leadership in the American States.” Polity 56 (3) 408-433. (link)
Matt Baker, Christina L. Boyd, Karson Pennington, and Aidan N. Gonzålez. 2024. “Race and Gender in Judicial Selection in the United States.” In M. Fix and M. Montgomery (Eds.), Research Handbook on Judicial Politics. Northhampton: Elgar. (link)
Aidan N. Gonzålez, Bailey R. Fairbanks, and Shane A. Gleason. 2020. “At The Intersection of Law and Identity” In Rorie Solberg and Eric Waltenberg (Eds.), Open Judicial Politics: A Companion Reader 2nd ed. Coravallis, OR: Oregon State University Press. (link)
