Fernanda Gonzalez is a PhD student in the Department of Political Science at Duke University. Her fields of study are political behavior and identity, and race and ethnic politics (REP). Her current research examines how racial identity shifts over time, theorizing that it follows predictable cycles shaped by the cultural calendar. Her prior work has explored nonpartisan elections and the availability of Spanish-language translations in political and institutional contexts. During her PhD, she aims to study identity shifts as well as how language interacts with identity to shape cultural connection, and whether the erosion of Spanish fluency affects broader senses of Latinidad within bilingual Latino communities. Fernanda holds a BA in political science from Wellesley College and is a proud alumna of the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute. After completing her PhD, she plans to pursue a career in academia, continuing researching how institutions can either reinforce marginalization or foster belonging.
The APSA Diversity Fellowship Program, formerly the Minority Fellowship Program, was established in 1969 as a fellowship competition to diversify the political science profession. The DFP provides support to students applying to, or in the early stages of, a PhD program in political science. APSA has once again awarded a new cycle to provide support for students currently in their first or second year as of Spring 2026. Please join us in congratulating the 2026-2027 class of fellows.
- Learn more about DFP at https://apsanet.org/dfp
- Meet the 2026-2027 class of DFP Fellows
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