Tess Wise

Tess Wise is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics & International Affairs at Wake Forest University. She holds a PhD from Harvard University (2019). Her research focuses on the intersection of American political economy and race/ethnic politics, particularly examining the racialized dimensions of personal bankruptcy policy and welfare systems. Wise’s work critiques structural inequities embedded in legal and economic frameworks, emphasizing how these systems perpetuate racial disparities.

Her research interests include critical race theory applications to bankruptcy law, the evolution of delegated welfare systems, and methodological approaches to studying causal mechanisms. Notable works include her forthcoming book Embedded White Supremacy: The Racialized Politics of Personal Bankruptcy in America and peer-reviewed articles analyzing racial dynamics in public health framing and media narratives.

Wise teaches courses on American political economy, quantitative research methods, and race/ethnic politics. Her publications span topics from drug policy framing disparities between crack cocaine and opioid epidemics to experimental analyses of racial diversity’s impact on public goods cooperation.