Emma Ebowe
I am a political theorist and an Assistant Professor of Government and Africana Studies at the College of William and Mary.
I study the state’s interventions into intimate relationships. My most recent research examines the many forms of injustice produced by the contemporary foster systems in Britain and the United States.
I also have research interests in quantitatively examining partisan gerrymandering in congressional redistricting, specifically its implications for democratic equality.
My recent work is forthcoming at the American Journal for Political Science and American Political Science Review.
I have been a James M. and Cathleen D. Stone PhD Scholar in Inequality and Wealth Concentration and Graduate Fellow at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics. I’m affiliated with the Center for American Political Studies, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, the Institute for Quantitative Social Science, and the Algorithm-Assisted Redistricting Methodology (ALARM) Project.
Journal Articles
“Injustice, Relational Violence, and the Foster System.”
American Journal of Political Science, forthcoming.
“Redistricting Reforms Reduce Gerrymandering by Constraining Partisan Actors.”
American Political Science Review, forthcoming.
With Cory McCartan, Christopher T. Kenny, Tyler Simko, Michael Y Zhao, and Kosuke Imai.
Book Project
My current book project examines the contemporary foster systems in Britain and the United States and critiques these systems for aggravating and compounding injustice.
To properly understand injustice in the contemporary foster system, I argue that we must correct a conceptual oversight about the definitive power of the system and how it is typically employed: the foster system engages in coercive relational intervention. More specifically, it enacts violence on our intimate relationships when it exercises its power to remove children from their carers. Much of the injustice in the system pertains to the misuse of this power, or, what I call, the capacity to employ relational violence.
An article defending my account of relational violence is available for Early View at the American Journal of Political Science.
TEACHING
I have experience teaching on democratic theory, the history of political thought, justice, public policy, feminist political theory, and black feminist thought and literature. Copies of my teaching evaluations and sample syllabi are available upon request.
Govt 402: Justice and the Family (Instructor, Fall 2025)
Senior seminar examining debates about reproduction, racial justice, gender, and patriarchal domination.
Gov 1041/DPI 247: Justice by Means of Democracy (Teaching Fellow, Spring 2023)
A course at the intersection of political theory, theories of justice, and public policy.
Gov 10: Introduction to Political Theory (Teaching Fellow, Spring 2022)
An introductory course on the foundations of political theory.
Gen Ed 1041: From Slavery to #MeToo (Teaching Fellow, Fall 2021)
An introductory course on black women’s voices and black feminist thought in the U.S.
Academic Advising
Concentration Advisor, Government Department (2021-2024)
Primary academic advisor for Government undergraduate students in Harvard’s second largest undergraduate dorm, Quincy House.
Residential Tutor, Quincy House (2021-2024)
On-call mentor and advisor to 470 sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Senior Thesis Advisor (2022-2024)
Advised theses in History and Literature, African and African American Studies, and Government.
SERVICE AND AFFILIATIONS
I have been fortunate to serve as a residential advisor and tutor in Harvard’s second largest undergraduate dorm, Quincy House, for the past four years. During my time as a residential tutor I have advised students on academic fellowships within and beyond the university community, declaring a concentration (major) in Government, going to graduate school, LQBTQ advocacy, consent, wellness, and writing a senior thesis. I have hosted dorm wide programming, events, and workshops.
Affiliations
I was a graduate student affiliate of the following centres and research groups:
The Center for American Political Studies
The Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies
The Institute for Quantitative Social Science
The Algorithm-Assisted Redistricting Methodology (ALARM) Project.