UROP Project
Why Sexual Violence? Understanding Gendered Violence in Armed Conflict
Political Violence; Armed Conflict; Human Rights Sexual Violence; Gender
Research Mentor: Rachel Marriott, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Political Science, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: rsmarriott@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Political Science, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: rsmarriott@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Political Science; International Affairs; Criminology; Sociology; Open to related majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Political Science; International Affairs; Criminology; Sociology; Open to related majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
Why do some armed conflicts experience widespread sexual violence while others do not? This project examines variation in conflict-related sexual violence across civil wars, focusing on how armed-group characteristics, gender norms, organizational practices, and conflict dynamics may shape the use or restraint of sexual violence. The broader goal is to better understand why violence becomes sexualized in some conflicts but not in others.Research Tasks: The research assistant will assist with literature review, document collection, and data collection on armed groups and civil conflicts. Tasks will include reviewing academic and policy sources, identifying relevant case materials, coding armed-group and conflict characteristics, organizing sources, and assisting with the construction and validation of a cross-national dataset.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Strong reading, writing, organization, and attention to detail; ability to work independently and engage professionally with research on sensitive topics.
Recommended: Interest or coursework in political science, international affairs, conflict studies, human rights, or gender; familiarity with Excel/Google Sheets, literature reviews, or basic data analysis. No prior research or coding experience is required.