Robert R. Perkinson

Robert R. Perkinson is an Associate Professor at the University of Hawai‘i, serving as Core Faculty. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University (2001) and a B.A. in History from the University of Colorado at Boulder (1994). His research focuses on crime and punishment, race and class, Southern/Western history, and American empire. His seminal work Texas Tough (2010) explores the intersection of imprisonment, race, and politics in U.S. history, winning major awards. Perkinson has published in venues like the New York Times and Harper's, addressing topics from U.S. foreign policy to race relations.

• Educations: PhD Yale University (American Studies, 2001), BA University of Colorado (History, 1994)

His research integrates archival, legal, and ethnographic methods to examine systemic inequality. Beyond academia, he directed the University of Hawai‘i’s bid to host the Obama Presidential Center and served on boards like the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i. He actively engages in public discourse on criminal justice reform and historical memory.

• Awards: PEN Galbraith Award (2010), PASS Award (2010), multiple fellowships from leading scholarly institutions

Perkinson’s work bridges historical analysis with contemporary policy, emphasizing the racial and political roots of mass incarceration. He advocates for systemic change through academic and public engagement.