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Assistant Professor of Politics, Law, and Society
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Tristan M. Hightower, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Department of Politics, Law, and Society. His teaching and research interests lie in the exploration of democratic norms, theory, and application. Specifically, he is interested in how American institutions intersect with notions of political representation. Prior to joining the faculty at Bryant, Prof. Hightower received his PhD (2024) and MA (2020) at the University of Maryland in political science with a secondary concentration in quantitative methods. He received his BA in political science Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2017. At Tennessee, he was also a member of the Chancellor's Honors Program and the Political Science Honors Program.
In addition to teaching and research, Prof. Hightower is a frequent contributor to various media outlets like The National Journal, Deseret News, The American Banker, among others.
Ph D, University of Maryland
MA, University of Maryland
BA, University of Tennessee
Hightower, T. M., The Population Ecology of Interest Groups and Counter-Mobilization: Reproductive Rights Organizations in the United States, 1920-1985, Political Science Research and Methods, 2024.
Hightower, T. M., Packed Pews: Understanding Evangelical Group Formation, Interest Groups & Advocacy, 2022.
Gimpel, J. G.,Hightower, T. M.,Wohlfarth, P. C., TRENDS: The Geography of Law: Understanding the Origin of State and Federal Redistricting Cases, Political Research Quarterly, 2021.
Artinian Award, 2025
Love of Learning Grant, 2024
Conley C. Dillon Award, 2024
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2024
Award for Exceptional Campus Service 2019-2023, 2023
Prestage-Cook Grant, 2023
Don C. Piper Award, 2022
Roger H. Davidson Award, 2022
Harrell Rodgers Grant, 2022
Virginia Gray Graduate Research Award, 2021
Excellence in Teaching Award, 2020
Midwest Political Science Association
Southern Political Science Association
American Political Science Association
The Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
National Capital Area Political Science Association
Assistant Professor of Politics, Law, and Society