taran samarth

(they/he)



I’m a PhD student at Yale University in political science.




I’m chiefly interested in the politics of the American carceral state + democratic accountability in local institutions. You can see more about my work and self on my CV.

Outside of academia, I’m committed to movements for life-affirming democracy across policy spaces: public safety, higher education, labor, and climate. Currently, I advocate for a democratic, sustainable, and equitable university with the lovely team at Penn State Forward. (I’m a homegrown central Pennsylvanian and a 2023 Penn State graduate.)


You can contact me at taran.samarth /at/ yale /dot/ edu or reach me on Twitter.