Luis Clemente

Luis Clemente, a first-year political science professor at Ohio University, is happy to be with the university and to make valuable a contribution to the Latin American Studies program.  As a professor of Government and Politics in Latin America plus Current World Problems, Clemente is impressed with the LAS program’s breadth of diverse course offerings and the dedication of its students.  He believes the students’ commitment to the program fuels his aspirations to always become a better professor and excel professionally within academia.

Moreover, Clemente feels embraced by the gracious welcoming of Dr. Betsy Partyka and the LAS director, Dr. Jose Delgado.   He is further proud to work alongside Dr. Tom Walker, a man that Clemente admires for his professional longevity, legacy and dedication to academia.  Clemente hopes to emulate Walker professionally, but also believes his personal background allows him to bring a unique perspective, knowledge, diverse language training and experiences to the program.

A native of the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Clemente developed a fondness for politics because of his nation’s social relationship to the United States.  In fact, he said politics are a focal point for many Puerto Ricans, who typically become very involved and consider it their national pastime.  Clemente entered the University of Puerto Rico with a passion for policy, completing both his bachelor’s, in 1997, and master’s degree, in 2000, in public administration.  He enjoyed his time and freedom at the university, saying it inspired him to read more and think critically about society within Puerto Rico and Latin America.  Albeit growing up in a nation that emphasized political affairs was critical in shaping Clemente’s character, his participation in the university’s choir allowed him to experience politics outside of Puerto Rico and also make life-long friendships. 

The hobby of singing tenor for the school took Clemente to Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1994.  During this time, he saw the day-to-day life of Latin Americans and witnessed how another society participates in public policy.  He thanks choir for this valuable opportunity and experience while in Ecuador.  What’s more, Clemente said choir enabled him to meet many diverse individuals, many of which he still maintains a close friendship.  Singing was also a method to learn the approximation of foreign languages for Clemente, while also discovering culture and the past through folk music. 

After the University of Puerto Rico, Clemente moved to the United States to pursue his dissertation at SUNY – Albany in New York.  His dissertation revolved around Latin American political party systems.  More specifically, it focused on party system stability, a product of the intersection of independent variables that provides a reason for citizens to consider politics to be legitimate within Latin America.  He analyzed Venezuela, Argentina, Chile and Peru without returning to South or Central America to conduct research.  Instead, Clemente utilized the broad and extensive literature available here in the United States to complete his dissertation.  He recently defended his dissertation last April and has gained public exposure by presenting various manuscripts at national and international conferences, such as the Western Political Science Association’s annual conference in Vancouver, BC in 2009.  Currently, Clemente is proud to be at Ohio University, while the LAS program is thankful to have his priceless expertise.