William Aviles

William Aviles is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), where he has been a faculty member since 2002. He holds a B.A. from Florida International University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. His research focuses on Latin American politics, environmental conflicts, and the drug war, with an emphasis on comparative politics and global capitalism's impact on governance structures. He teaches courses such as Politics of the Developing World, Latin American Politics, and The Politics of the Drug War.

His notable publications include The Drug War in Latin America: Hegemony and Global Capitalism (Routledge, 2021), which critiques U.S. prohibitionist policies, and Globalization and Military Power in the Andes (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), examining regional military dynamics. He also authored Global Capitalism, Democracy and Civil-Military Relations in Colombia (SUNY Press, 2006).

Aviles emphasizes exposing students to critical perspectives on Latin American politics and globalization. His work explores how transnational elites and global capitalist structures shape policy outcomes and political violence in the region.