Juliana Restrepo Sanín

Juliana Restrepo Sanín is an assistant professor of government. Her research and teaching interests include gender and politics, Latin American politics, political violence, comparative politics, and qualitative methods. Her research explores the relationship between efforts to improve the quality of democracy through mechanisms such as gender quotas and parity laws, and the increase of violence and harassment directed at women political actors in Latin America. Additionally, she is working on a research project analyzing the role women play in autocratization processes.

Prior to joining Smith, Juliana was an assistant professor of political science at the University of Florida. She has worked with the Inter-American Commission on Women of the Organization of American States, the National Democratic Institute, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and UN Women. Her research has been published or is forthcoming in Comparative Political Studies, Perspectives on Politics, Signs, Politics & Gender, International Feminist Journal of Politics, European Journal of Politics and Gender, and Política y Gobierno.

Selected Publications

Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2025. “Demanding state recognition, transforming political rights: Women’s activism to end violence against women in politics in the Americas” in: Feminist Responses to Crises and Dehumanization: Transnational Scholar-Activist Perspectives. Hernández, Brianna; Turbino Torres, Luisa, and Zwingel, Susanne. Routledge.

Townsend Bell, Erica and Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2024. “Intersectionality, Women, and Violent Politics in the Americas”. In Siim, Birte and Pauline Stoltz. Palgrave Handbook of Gender and Citizenship. Palgrave.

Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2023. “Policy responses to address violence against women in politics in Bolivia and Mexico”. In: Bjarnegård, Elin and Zetterberg, Pär. Gender and Violence against Political Actors. Temple University Press.

Sanín, Juliana Restrepo. 2023. “Research Partnerships to Address Violence against Women in Politics: Unpacking Challenges and Opportunities.” Politics & Gender, September, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743923X23000442

Sanín, Juliana Restrepo. 2023. “Women’s Empowerment and Fight against Violence in Latin America.” Current History 122 (841): 43–48. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2023.122.841.43

Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2022. “Violence Against Women in Politics as an Unintended Consequence of Democratization”. International Feminist Journal of Politics. 24(1) 16-39.

Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2022. “Criminalizing Violence against Women in Politics: Innovation, Diffusion, and Transformation”. Politics & Gender. 18(1) 1-32. doi:10.1017/S1743923X20000173

Hilbink, Lisa; Salas, Valentina; Gallagher, Janice; Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2022. “Why People Turn to Institutions They Detest: Institutional Mistrust and Justice System Engagement in Uneven Democratic States”. Comparative Political Studies. 55(1) 3-31 https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140211024299

Krook, Mona Lena; Restrepo Sanín, Juliana. 2020. “The Cost of Doing Politics? Analyzing Violence and Harassment against Female Politicians.” Perspectives on Politics. 18(3) 740-755