Vierelina Fernández joined Rutgers University as a Postdoctoral Scholar and Instructor in the Fall of 2024. She obtained her Ph.D. in International Relations from Florida International University in Miami (a city often referred to as the “gateway to Latin America”) shortly before arriving in New Jersey. Her doctoral dissertation was titled “Insurgent Feminism: An Empirical Comparative Analysis of the Colombian FARC and Kurdish PKK-YPG’s Guerrillas’ Contributions to Gender Equality”. Currently, Vierelina is focused on converting her dissertation into a book project. She also teaches two undergraduate courses at Rutgers: Introduction to Latin America (Fall/Spring) and Latin American Feminisms (Spring).
Read on to get to know Vierelina Fernandez a little better, and to get a deeper insight into her research interests, academic goals, and more.
What are your research interests?
Broadly speaking, I am interested in international or global studies, development, political economy, war/violence, and feminism. My area of expertise is Latin America (Mexico and Colombia in particular), but I also have a secondary interest in the Middle East (the Kurdish Middle East in particular). My doctoral dissertation, which I completed just this past summer at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, was an empirical comparative analysis of two guerrillas: the Colombian FARC and Kurdish PKK-YPG.
What will you be doing while at Rutgers?
Over the course of my two (2) year tenure here at Rutgers I intend to first and foremost begin the transition from dissertation to book project. My book project is tentatively titled "Insurgent Feminism" and delves into the feminist contributions, ideologies, and politics of the aforementioned revolutionary fighters from the global south - the contributions of their women fighters in particular. In terms of teaching, I am excited to teach two distinct courses during my time here: Introduction to Latin America and Latin American Feminisms (available Spring only).
What topic are you most looking forward to teaching?
I am actually equally excited for both my courses! Despite my passion for all things feminism, I actually find that teaching the much more varied "Introduction to Latin America" course is a welcome change of pace because it covers a wide range of topics I am equally passionate about. These include: the political economy of Latin America, environmental politics of the region, migration flows, foreign relations of LA countries with other global regions, and much more.
What do you want to accomplish during your postdoctoral appointment?
Aside from making great headway into my book project, I would also like to publish two independent (though related) research articles in high-impact journals. I am excited about the unique data I was able to gather over and the larger theoretical implications of my findings. I think it's time I shared those with the wider academic community.
Have you learned anything interesting or surprising about Rutgers? Anything you're looking forward to exploring?
Before coming here, I had no idea that Rutgers was one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that our university was founded in 1766 and is 1 of only 9 colonial colleges (i.e. colleges founded prior to the American Revolution). I am most looking forward to exploring all of the Northeastern and New England regions. Having spent the last eight years in Miami, this is definitely quite the change. And of course, I love having New York City within commuting distance!
What have you enjoyed so far about New Brunswick or New Jersey overall?
The weather and the seasons! Unlike Miami's eternal summer (which is splendid, don't get me wrong), I have really enjoyed the chilly mornings and evenings here. I love watching the trees slowly turn from forest green into vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange. I'm a big fan of autumn foliage (and all things autumn in general), so that's something I'm looking forward to for sure.
Sincere thanks to Vierelina Fernandez for participating in this interview. The CLAS community extends a heartfelt welcome and we look forward to reading her work in the future. Vierelina can be reached at