Steven Tauber

Dr. Steven Tauber is a Professor of Political Science and Vice Provost for Faculty Administration at the University of South Florida (USF). He holds leadership roles in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies and previously served as its founding Director (2016–2019) and Chair of the Department of Government & International Affairs (2012–2016). His academic positions span from Visiting Instructor (1995–1997) to Professor (2020–present). He also serves as a Social Science Consultant for the Non-Human Rights Project.

Education: Ph.D. (1995), M.A. (1993), and B.A. (1989) in Political Science from the University of Virginia and UC San Diego, respectively. His research focuses on animal rights, judicial politics, race and ethnicity, and American government. Key works include Navigating the Jungle: Law, Politics, and the Animal Advocacy Movement (2016) and the award-winning American Government in Black and White (2021, 6th ed.).

Research Interests: Animal rights, global politics of nonhuman animals, judicial behavior in terrorism cases, and racial justice. Recent projects explore the intersection of animal welfare and sustainable development. He has secured grants for studies on global animal advocacy movements and legal mobilization.

Teaching: Courses include American Political Thought, Constitutional Law, and Race and Politics. He has supervised numerous graduate theses and dissertations, focusing on topics like transnational environmental networks and voter suppression. Recognized for teaching excellence (2011), he advises student groups like USF Students Protecting the Environment and Animals Through Knowledge.

Awards: Winner of the 2010 ‘Best Textbook’ award for American Government in Black and White, and the V.O. Key Award (2005) for African Americans in the Contemporary Florida Legislature. His work bridges critical animal studies and international relations theory, emphasizing anthropocentrism critiques.

Service: Serves on USF committees for academic labor relations, civics literacy, and strategic space planning. Professional roles include editorial board member for Politics & Animals and grant reviewer for the National Science Foundation. Media contributions include commentary on judicial politics for WFLA and WTMP.