Meet Bianca Freeman

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am pursuing a PhD in political science with a focus on international relations. Prior to graduate study at UC San Diego, I received my undergraduate degree in political science and Middle East/Islamic studies at UC Riverside and a Master of Public Policy degree at UC Riverside. I chose UC San Diego for a PhD because I wanted to learn how to pose and answer big questions about inequality through the study of world politics.

What are you studying/researching?

Global movements for racial justice and events like the murder of George Floyd are profound reminders that the law itself is often biased by racism. Many countries—advanced democracies included—have long hidden racism behind the principle of equality before the law in domestic politics. I suggest that international law cloaks race in similar fashion. How does racism shape the application and enforcement of international law? My research program is motivated by this question. Despite conventional assumptions about formal equality between sovereign states, my book project examines international law as patterns of exclusion from which race is a key organizing principle. In this work, I provide a theoretical foundation and diverse empirical evidence of racialized prejudice and its influence on international law. My research appears in the Annual Review of Political Science, Security Studies, and International Politics.

Tell us about your campus involvement at UC San Diego

Studying at UC San Diego allows me to participate in projects that support underrepresented communities, both on and off-campus. As a member of the Race and Ethnic Politics Lab founded by Dr. LaGina Gause and Dr. Marisa Abrajano, I help conduct data-driven, community-centered work in partnership with local Black-led civic groups. I value this experience because I’m passionate about using my technical training is service of communities that are leading racial justice from grassroots. Being at UC San Diego has also deepened my commitment equity in the academe. From 2020-2021, I co-chaired the Committee on the Status of Graduate Students in the Profession at the American Political Science Association (APSA). During that time, the committee worked with executive leadership to provide unrestricted access to job market resources. In 2021, I convened the panel, “Advancing Racial Justice in Political Science” at APSA's Annual Meeting, which established a collective dialogue on the state and future of racial justice in the discipline.

Why UC San Diego?

When deciding on a program as a prospective student, I was struck by the kindness of Dr. David Lake (my current advisor) and the genuine interest that he and the other faculty showed the graduate students in the department. Since joining the political science program, I’ve had the opportunity to co-author with and receive mentorship from faculty and other graduate students. In addition to its national acclaim, UC San Diego Political Science is a unique community that encourages its students to innovate social science through interdisciplinary, methodologically diverse approaches. I believe that being part of a program like this has made all the difference. Research aside, La Jolla weather is hard to beat, though I’m biased as a California native! Taking walks along Scripps Beach, finding a ballet class, or grabbing coffee with friends have been my go-to's for some downtime on or near campus.

Have you received any awards or fellowships?

In 2022, I received the UC President’s Pre-Professoriate Fellowship (UC-PPPF). In 2021, I was awarded a dissertation fellowship from the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). I also received the Diversity Fellowship from the American Political Science Association (APSA) in 2020 and the Strategic Enhancement of Excellence through Diversity Fellowship from UC San Diego in 2018. Support from these awards has meant so much to me along my academic and professional development. I’m eager to pay the opportunity forward.