Jessica Kim, Ph.D.

Jessica Kim is a political sociologist examining global and transnational sociology, norm diffusion, development, democracy, and women’s rights. Broadly speaking, her work examines the diffusion of liberal global norms - mainly women’s rights and democracy - to national policies, practices, and opinions. Specifically, she examines the factors which help and hinder this diffusion process and the ways in which (non)compliance with dominant norms manifests. In her current project, she explores the complex link between democracy INGOs (DINGOs) and hybrid regimes cross-nationally and over time. At the WZB, she works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Global Sociology unit examining the contestation of liberal global scripts.

Jess received her PhD in Sociology from Stony Brook University. She also holds an MA in Sociology, as well as BAs in Sociology and Political Science. In Fall 2024, she will begin working as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh.