How do states respond to crime and violence, and what are the consequences for civil society? These questions lie at the heart of Elena Dressler’s research. She is a research associate at the Chair of International Relations at TU Darmstadt. We are pleased that she will be joining the TraCe team as an Associate Fellow in November 2026.
Her research focuses on repressive state policies used to combat crime and violence in Latin America, known as “mano dura” (iron fist) policies. She examines how these policies are used as instruments of governance, how criminal violence and state repression intersect, and how they affect the scope of action available to civil society actors. She is particularly interested in how those affected cope with the dual threat of state repression and criminal violence.