Honoring Dr. Rodney Hero
A Visionary in Political Science and Champion of Latino Politics
Founding Director of CLAPR • First Latino President of the APSA • Distinguished Scholar & Educator
About Dr. Rodney Hero
Dr. Rodney E. Hero is a trailblazer in American political science, widely respected for his groundbreaking research on Latino politics, racial and ethnic politics, and institutional inequality.
He served as the Raul Yzaguirre Chair and Professor at Arizona State University and founded the Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research (CLAPR) in 2017. His guiding belief that 'you cannot understand American politics without understanding Latino politics, and vice versa', has shaped a generation of scholarship and public discourse.
Dr. Hero’s work bridges academia, policy, and community, and has left a lasting mark on how we understand democracy in the U.S.
Career Highlights & Leadership
Academic Leadership
- Raul Yzaguirre Chair at ASU
- Haas Chair in Diversity & Democracy, UC Berkeley
- Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy in the Department of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame
- Faculty positions at the University of Colorado (Boulder & Colorado Springs)
Author of Award-Winning Works
Latinos and the U.S. Political System: Two-tiered Pluralism
→ Winner: APSA Ralph J. Bunche Award (1993)Faces of Inequality: Social Diversity in American Politics
→ Winner: APSA Woodrow Wilson Award (1999)Extensive research on racial diversity, federalism, social capital, urban politics, and Black-Latino relations
Historic Honors
First Latino President of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in its 112-year history (2014-15)
- President of the Midwest Political Science Association (2007-08)
- President of the Western Political Science Association (1999-2000)
Recognized with Best Book on Latino Politics Award from the APSA Latino Caucus
Co-PI of the Latino National Survey
Member of editorial boards of top-tier political science journals
A Scholar, a Mentor, a Legacy
Dr. Hero's influence extends far beyond his titles. He has mentored countless scholars, empowered voices across disciplines, and shaped how institutions engage with questions of race, equity, and democracy.
His legacy is not just in the pages of journals or in lectures delivered, it lives on in the work of his students, colleagues, and the very mission of PRIEC.
Founding CLAPR — A Lasting Vision
Established in 2017, the Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research (CLAPR) was Dr. Hero’s bold step toward institutionalizing Latino political research as essential to understanding U.S. governance.
Under His Leadership:
- Launched the Distinguished Speaker Series and community-focused research
- Secured funding from Meta, JPMorgan Chase, and the Díaz family
- Created the Award for Research on Latino Politics
- Championed faculty research through CLAPR seed grants for emerging scholars
CLAPR continues to serve as a hub for research, training, and public engagement, all anchored in Dr. Hero’s belief that the study of American Politics is incomplete without Latino Politics, and Latino Politics requires careful attention to institutions of American politics.