Hi! I’m Rina Williams, PhD.

I am Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati and Affiliate Faculty in Asian Studies and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies.

I teach and research cross-nationally and cross-regionally on identity politics - including how our identities are socially constructed and politically meaningful - focusing especially though not exclusively on gender, ethnicity, religion, and nationalism.

My community-engaged research projects have included a gender equity assessment for the City of Cincinnati’s CEDAW initiative and an equity assessment for the United Way of Greater Cincinnati.

I am a trained facilitator of Racial Healing Circles for the Center for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) at the University of Cincinnati and also trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

All my work is underpinned by core beliefs in the critical importance of knowing yourself as the basis for knowing anything else; seeking meaning, knowledge, and value in unexpected places; and staying grounded in what makes you unique.