Timothy E. Lewis
Dr. Timothy E. Lewis (he/him/his) is an identity politics researcher, social justice activist, and Associate Professor of Political Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He is the first Black American to earn tenure in the Department of Political Science at SIUE. He also serves as Chair of the Department of Social Work and the Director of Black Studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the historic Tuskegee University. He received a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Dr. Lewis specializes in the politics of marginalized and disadvantaged identities. This has led to original research on the sociopolitical reality of African Americans across reputable peer-reviewed journals. This study of marginalized identities is also important in critically assessing equity, or the absence thereof, in state policy globally, specifically HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. His research has also bolstered his intellectual activism. As a certified diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice (DIESJ) trainer and workshop facilitator, he has engaged in activism on varying topics, including Black Lives Matter (University of Missouri-St. Louis), reparations to African Americans (Center for Racial Harmony), and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and critical race theory (Illinois Wesleyan University). He believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not areas of work; rather, they are value-based approaches to all work, especially in addressing structural inequity across societal institutions. In 2021, Dr. Lewis was honored with a Missouri State Resolution “for service in higher education” from the Missouri House of Representatives, Resolution No. 254, Adopted February 17, 2021.
Dr. Lewis is a member of the American Political Science Association (APSA), the Southern Political Science Association (SPSA), the Northeastern Political Science Association (NPSA), and the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS). He is an avid historian of religious texts and a fitness enthusiast.
Courses Recently Taught:
Political Science 310: Readings in Political Science
Political Science 400: Senior Seminar
Political Science 440: African American Politics
Political Science 441: Women and Politics in America
Political Science 446: Gay and Lesbian Politics
Political Science 459: Politics of Africa
Political Science 485: Modern Political Theory
Recent Publications:
Lewis, Timothy E. (2023). “Retrofitting Racism: The Aversive Racist Structure at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs)” published in the Journal of Negro Education.
Lewis, Timothy E. (2022). “African American Gatekeepers or the Black Church?: Using Modified Grounded Theory to Explore the Debate on Black Homophobia.” published in the Journal of Homosexuality.
Lewis, Timothy E. and Nelson, Sherice. (2021). “Insulated Blackness: The Cause for Fracture in Black Political Identity.” published in Politics, Groups, and Identities.
Lewis, Timothy E. (2019). “Black Curativeness: Understanding Black Voter Selection through an Assessment of Racially-charged Districts.” published in the National Political Science Review 20(3).
Professional Contact Information
Department of Political Science
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
1306 Peck Hall, Box 1450
Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1453
(618) 650-3375 (Office)
Email: timlewi@siue.edu
