Sydney Cuneo

Sydney Cuneo is an M.A. candidate in political science at Columbia University, concentrating in American Politics. Her research interests lie at the intersection of political science and sociology, with a particular focus on voting patterns, judicial politics, and the institutional dynamics that shape political behavior and public opinion. She is especially interested in how sociological factors, such as gender, socioeconomic status, and socialization, interact with political institutions to influence electoral outcomes and judicial decision-making. Within political science, Ms. Cuneo’s work engages questions of American political behavior, campaign strategy, and how personal experiences and ideological cues shape judges’ rulings. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, she explores how structural inequalities and cultural contexts inform both voter behavior and the judiciary.

Ms. Cuneo graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University, where she earned a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Law and Legal Systems, and a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology, along with minors in Psychology and English. She was awarded the University Medal, the university’s highest academic honor. During her undergraduate career, she served as a Student Instructional Leader, where she facilitated peer learning and was nominated for New Student Instructional Leader of the Year. She also completed a congressional internship with the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she gained firsthand experience with legislative processes and policy research.