Jessica Trisko Darden

Jessica Trisko Darden is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University's College of Humanities and Sciences, specializing in political violence, gender, and security within Eurasian and conflict/post-conflict contexts.

• Ph.D. in Political Science from McGill University
• M.A. in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies from University of Texas at Austin
• B.A. (Hons.) in International Development Studies and Russian Studies from McGill University

Research Focus: Analyzes intersections of political violence, gender dynamics, and security frameworks across Eurasia, with attention to foreign aid impacts and post-conflict societies. Her work bridges legal studies, conflict resolution, and international relations.

Publication Trends: Recent articles examine legal binaries in conflict narratives, wartime policy construction, repatriation of extremists, African Islamist insurgencies, and ethical dilemmas in foreign assistance. These reflect interdisciplinary engagement with law, gender studies, and security discourse.

Laboratory: Leads The (In)Security Lab at VCU, fostering research on contemporary security challenges and societal responses.