Paz Avila
Paz Avila is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. As both a legal scholar and political scientist, her research and teaching span the fields of American and Comparative Politics, with a particular emphasis on constitutionalism and democratic backsliding. Her professional experience includes serving as a Visiting Professional at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica and as a law clerk at the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. She has also held the position of Visiting Scholar at Boston College Law School and has taught at the University of Texas at Austin, both in the Government Department and the Law School, as well as at several universities throughout Latin America.
Constitutional Law and Politics I
Comparative Constitutionalism
Constitutional Principles
Ph.D. in Government, The University of Texas at Austin
M.A. in Government, The University of Texas at Austin
LL.M. in Legal Theory, New York University School of Law
Paz’s research explores the resilience and legitimacy of constitutional systems across diverse democratic contexts, bridging American politics and comparative constitutionalism. At its core, her work asks why some constitutions endure while others fail under political crises, a question that speaks to the foundations of democratic stability. Drawing on mixed methods approaches, Paz examines constitutional change in Latin America, the evolution of constitutional legitimacy in the United States, and the growing trend of presidential prosecutions across democracies. By integrating comparative analysis, qualitative and quantitative methods, her research advances a unified framework for understanding how constitutions and accountability institutions adapt or fail in an era of polarization and institutional stress.
Two papers drawn from this work are under review: The first one, titled: Constitutional Legitimacy in a Land of Constitutional Change develops a theory of constitutional legitimacy through a comparative-historical approach, contrasting Ecuador with insights from American constitutionalism.
The second one, titled Political Crises and Constitutional Change. The roots of political instability in Latin America combines a large-N quantitative analysis of 18 Latin American countries that examines why constitutions fail during political crises.
Book Project: A Theory of Constitutional Legitimacy. The Foundations of Constitutional Strength
This book project aims to develop a comprehensive theory of constitutional legitimacy and its role in sustaining democratic resilience. It addresses a central puzzle: Why do some constitutions endure for centuries while others die under political crises?
In addition, Paz have authored book reviews and edited publications on freedom of speech and criminal law sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.