Tasnia Symoom, PhD

Welcome!

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I am a political scientist driven by a simple question: whose voices are heard, whose experiences are overlooked, and how can research help close that gap?

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My research focuses on gender, political behavior, representation, violence, and international politics, with particular attention to South Asia and the Global South. Across my work, from women’s experiences of violence and access to justice, to gaps between women citizens and political elites, to how developing countries build influence internationally, I am interested in how power and institutions shape people’s lives, opportunities, and sense of belonging.

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Research, for me, is not only about explaining political problems. It is also about asking better questions about justice, representation, and whose interests our institutions actually serve.

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I bring that same curiosity into the classroom. I want students to see politics not simply as governments, elections, or theories, but as something that shapes everyday life—and something they can question, understand, and change.

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I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Research on Violence Against Women at the University of Kentucky and received my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky in 2025.