New chair brings insight and expertise in Latina politics and leadership

8/19/19

As part of our commitment to become the leading destination for young women pursuing education and future careers in government, public service and advocacy, Texas Woman’s University continues to draw experts in the fields of politics and women’s leadership. The latest is Christina Bejarano, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies.

Bejarano is a nationally recognized author, speaker and adviser on Latina electoral politics and political candidates in the U.S. Her work focuses on the role of women in politics, particularly how women of color shape and influence the electoral environment as voters and candidates.

As a Hispanic-serving institution primarily for women, TWU presents unique opportunities for Bejarano to continue her research and work with Latina populations. Her vision for the future of the department includes facilitating more crossover between the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy, and the Institute for Women’s Leadership. In addition, she looks forward to “placing more focus on bringing our research into the community and more emphasis on leadership opportunities for Latinas and women of color.”

In addition to numerous scholarly articles and book chapters, Bejarano is the author of two books: The Latina Advantage: Gender, Race, and Political Success (University of Texas Press, 2013) and The Latino Gender Gap in U.S. Politics (Routledge Press, 2014). She served as a guest expert analyst for the 2016 Presidential Gender Watch and Gender Watch 2018, helping to track and analyze gender dynamics during both elections in an effort to educate and improve media coverage of the events. She also served on the national advisory council for LatinasRepresent, a joint initiative that promotes Latina political leadership and representation.

Bejarano joins us from the University of Kansas, where she served as associate professor of political science. She earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in political science at the University of Iowa, and her B.A. in psychology at UNT.

Born in El Paso, Bejarano spent much of her life in North Texas, where she has many family ties, including a young niece and nephew.

“Denton is a chance for me to come home, both personally and professionally,” said Bejarano.

“Christina Bejarano’s leadership and expertise are a perfect fit for not only the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, but also the College of Arts and Sciences and Texas Woman’s University. She brings a fresh perspective to the table, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together,” said Abigail Tilton, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Page last updated 9:28 AM, January 3, 2023