Carlos A. Suárez Carrasquillo

Carlos A. Suárez is an Associate Instructional Professor at the Center for Latin American Studies, Department of Political Science, and Affiliate at the Department of Regional and Urban Planning at the University of Florida.

He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and a Graduate Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a B.A. from the Universidad de Puerto Rico Río Piedras. His primary teaching and research interests are in urban politics, gated communities, city marketing/branding, and urban politics in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. He has examined how city marketing has been used as a tool by the municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to attract residents of a higher socioeconomic class, resulting in an increase in gated communities and a more gentrified Guaynabo. Dr. Suárez is currently following up this work by comparing how different Puerto Rican municipalities have utilized city branding campaigns, documenting the political resistance to these campaigns, and by examining the possible connections between city branding and gentrification.

He has held teaching positions at the Universidad de Puerto Rico-Carolina, Hampshire College, Connecticut College and most recently at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Suárez has contributed to publications such as The Conversation, Cities, Diálogo, EURE, 80 Grados, and Ámbito de Encuentros.