Doctoral Students
Zoe Knowles
bio
Zoe Catriona Knowles is a doctoral student in the Politics and International Affairs Ph.D. program in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies (SIGS) at the University of South Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies from USF in 2018, followed by a Master of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies, where she focused her research on institutionalized homophobia and transphobia in Jamaica's criminal justice system. Inspired by her Jamaican heritage, Zoe's work delves into how colonial policies like The Offences Against the Person Act (1864) continue to criminalize LGBTQ+ identities. Her interdisciplinary research spans comparative politics, international relations, postcolonial studies, public law, and queer theory, examining how law, policy, and history shape sexuality and gender within social, political, legal, and criminological institutions. For her Ph.D., Zoe aims to further explore the intersections of international law, politics, religion, and political philosophy, particularly regarding colonial and neocolonial influences on the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. She also holds an MBA from the University of the Cumberlands.