Dr. Estancona is an Assistant Professor in Political Science at the University of South Carolina.  

Her research focuses on the political economy of conflict and criminality. She assesses how volatility in the international market impacts rebels' and criminals' behavior toward civilians and the corresponding state response to changes in violent groups' economic capacity. In addition to her primary research agenda, she is engaged in projects about offshore financial networks and criminality,  human rights and dissent, and paramilitary organizations.