AJ Golio

AJ Golio (he/him) is a researcher, writer, and educator who studies gentrification and policing in American cities. Particularly, his focus is on theorizing the enforcement of historical and contemporary patterns of gentrification and segregation - both spatial regimes which privilege whiteness in the organization and cultural dominion of places and neighborhoods. In this vein, he examines how such regimes are upheld via the formal mechanisms of police activity, code enforcement, and eviction.

He also has a secondary interest in writing about the cultural dynamics of gentrification and representations of the city in popular culture.

AJ is also a Mellon Community-Engaged Research Fellow. In his work, he aims to retain an orientation toward critical urban theory, rooted in a community-centric organizing practice. He is trained in and utilizes a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including statistical analysis, GIS mapping, and interviews.

Outside of academics, AJ is an on-and-off theater actor, bike taxi operator, and foodie. He loves long roadtrips, kayaking on the Bayou St. John, and dancing - particularly with his Mardi Gras troupe, the 610 Stompers.