Picture: V. Lasso Mena

Verena Lasso Mena M.A.

Research Associate

Working area(s)

International Relations

Contact

Work S3|12 522
Residenzschloss 1
64283 Darmstadt

Verena Lasso Mena works as a research assistant at the Chair of International Relations headed by Prof. Dr. Markus Lederer. Since May 2022, she has been a research fellow in the cooperative project of the regional research center “Transformations of Political Violence (TraCe)”.

Political Violence in Environmental and Climate Conflicts

Environmental and Human Rights Defenders

Social Movements and Climate Justice

Latin America

05/2022 Research Associate at the Chair of “International Relations” at the TU Darmstadt
10/2018 – 09/2021 M.A. Political Science with focus on Area Studies at the University of Rostock, Thesis: “Social activists as victims of violence in the peace process in Colombia – a conflict analysis”.
10/2014 – 03/2018 B.A. International Communication and Translation in Political Science at the University of Hildesheim, Thesis: “Election Campaign in Venezuela – A Comparative Discourse Analysis of the Presidents Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro”.
Lasso Mena, Verena; Lederer, Markus (2026): From Genocide to Ecocide: Confronting Political Violence Against the Environment. DOI: 10.48809/PRIFTRACEPB2614.
Guntrum, Laura Gianna; Lasso Mena, Verena (2026): Unmasking digital threats in the pursuit of human rights and environmental defense in La Guajira, North Colombia. In: Information, Communication & Society 29 (1), S. 227–248. DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2025.2503444.
Guntrum, Laura; Lasso Mena, Verena; Wolff, Jonas (2025): Von Mord bis Doxxing: Gewalt gegen soziale Aktivist:innen bleibt allzu häufig unsichtbar. In: TraCe Working Paper (6). Online verfügbar unter DOI: 10.48809/PRIFTRACEWP2506.
Lasso Mena, Verena (2025): COP30 in Belém: Zwischen zivilgesellschaftlicher Erwartung und diplomatischer Stagnation. In: Peace Research Institute Frankfurt / Leibniz Institut Hessische Stiftung Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, 02.12.2025. Online verfügbar unter https://blog.prif.org/2025/12/02/cop30-in-belem-zwischen-zivilgesellschaftlicher-erwartung-und-diplomatischer-stagnation/.
Lederer, Markus; Lasso Mena, Verena; Marquardt, Jens; Richter, Timo Alexander; Schoppek, Dorothea Elena (2024): Radical climate movements—is the hype about “eco-terrorism” analogy, warning or propaganda? In: Front. Polit. Sci. 6, Artikel 1421523, S. 1421523. DOI: 10.3389/fpos.2024.1421523.