Luba Levin-Banchik, a Cal State San Bernardino assistant professor of political science, is the new president-elect and program chair for the International Studies Association (ISA) West region.

“I am honored to become part of the leadership of the International Studies Association West Region, one of the most respected and widely known scholarly associations in the field of international relations,” Levin-Banchik said. “In my role as a program chair and president-elect, I will work with wonderful colleagues across campuses to continue the tradition of a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment at the ISA West conferences.

“This role is especially significant to promoting the internationalization goals of the CSUSB campus by increasing the exposure of students and faculty to cutting-edge international relations pedagogy and research,” she said. “I am delighted to represent CSUSB in my new role and I am looking forward to defining the future”. 

“This is a big deal in our discipline,” said Brian Janiskee, chair of the political science department. “The ISA is the premier worldwide organization for scholars in international relations.”

The ISA is one of the oldest interdisciplinary associations dedicated to understanding international, transnational and global affairs. Founded in 1959, its more than 7,000 members span the globe – comprising academics, practitioners, policy experts, private sector workers and independent researchers, among others – from more than 100 countries.

The association has long served as a central hub for the exchange of ideas and for networking and programmatic initiatives among those involved in the study, teaching and practice of international studies.

The ISA West region that Levin-Banchik will lead covers the western portion of the United States including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Other ISA geographic regions are Asia-Pacific, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, the U.S. Midwest, the U.S. Northwest and the U.S South.

In her role as the region program chair, Levin-Banchik will be responsible for creating the ISA West 2021 annual conference program, serving on the ISA West executive board, and representing the region at meetings at the International Studies Association annual convention. The ISA West conferences include a focus on important international concerns and challenges, as well as specialized workshops on professional development.

Visit the ISA West webpage for more information on the west region, and the International Studies Association website for information on the association’s work.