Thomas Bell

"Broadly speaking, my research focuses on the intersection of public law and American politics, focusing in particular on separation of powers."

Years at Knox: 2019-Present

Education
Ph.D., Government, 2019, The University of Texas at Austin
B.A., Political Science, Economics Minor, 2011, Trinity University

Teaching Interests
American constitutional law and theory, American political institutions, and political theory.

Selected Professional Accomplishments

Publications

The Constitution of Conflict: How the Supreme Court Undermines the Separation of Powers (Forthcoming with the Constitutional Thinking Series at the University Press of Kansas in 2025)

Review of Jasmine Farrier (2019), Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial: Congressional Lawsuits and the Separation of Powers. Cornell University Press. Congress & the Presidency (May 2021)

Perverse Politics: "Recess Appointments, Noel Canning, and the Limits of Law." Presidential Studies Quarterly (June 2018). (Peer-Reviewed)

Works In Progress

"Constitutional Hypocrisy" with Connor Ewing (Under review).

"The Strange Case of the Legislative Veto: Delegation and the Constitution" Submitted for an edited volume with the University Press of Kansas.

Presentations

“Does Hyperpartisanship Undermine the Separation of Powers?” Presented at the Shawnee Trail Conference. April 28, 2023. University of Missouri, Columbia.

“The Primary Problem: Hyperpartisanship and the Separation of Powers.” Presented at the Midwestern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 15, 2023. Chicago, IL

“Should Separation of Powers Disputes between Congress and the President be Justiciable?” Presented at the Shawnee Trail Conference on American Politics and Constitutionalism. April 29, 2022. Baylor University.

“Should Separation of Powers Disputes between Congress and the President be Justiciable?” Presented at the Midwestern Political Science Association annual meeting. April 7, 2022. Chicago, IL.

“Hypocrisy: The Homage Partisanship Pays the Constitution.” Co-authored with Connor Ewing (University of Toronto). Presented at the Shawnee Trail Conference on American Politics and Constitutionalism. Virtual. April 10, 2021.

“Hypocrisy: The Homage Partisanship Pays the Constitution.” Co-authored with Connor Ewing (University of Toronto). Presented at the American Political Science Association Meeting. September 2020.

"The Legislative Veto and the Undermining of Constitutional Politics." Midwestern Political Science Association Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. April 2018.

 "Recovering the Constitution's Political Architecture." Shawnee Trail Conference in American Politics. Austin, TX. April 2017.

 "Refiguring the Face of Democracy: Sight and Voice in American Constitutionalism." University of Texas Graduate Conference in Public Law. Austin, TX. October 2016.

 "Forms and Processes of Authority: Tocqueville and the Separation of Powers." The University of Texas Graduate Conference in Public Law. Austin, TX. September 2015.

 "Forms and Processes of Authority: Tocqueville and the Separation of Powers." Shawnee Trail Conference in American Politics. Columbia, MO. May 2016.

 "Taking a Break from Constitutional Authority: Toward a Relational Understanding of Recess Appointments." Midwestern Political Science Association Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. April 2015.

 "Taking a Break from Constitutional Authority: Toward a Relational Understanding of Recess Appointments." University of Texas Graduate Conference in Public Law. Austin, TX. October 2014.

Professional Service

• Board of Directors, Midwestern Association of Pre-Law Advisors (October 2021-Present)
• Member of the APSA and MPSA