Assistant Professor

Affiliate, Political Science
103F Phelps Hall
513-785-3276
phelpsjp@MiamiOH.edu

A native of Pataskala, Ohio, Dr. Forren joined the faculty of the Department of Justice & Community Studies in January 2014. Prior to that time, he taught in Miami’s Department of Political Science (both in Oxford and on the regionals) and served for five years as Associate Director of the University’s Honors Program. Beyond Miami, Dr. Forren has also taught at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, East Carolina University, the College of William and Mary and the University of Indianapolis.

Dr. Forren’s research interests lie in the fields of American constitutional law and history, criminal justice, judicial politics, public policy-making and civic engagement. In that vein, he has written previously on a range of issues including the development of federal workplace safety standards in Congress, the state of ‘civic health’ in Ohio, the responses of various policymakers to U.S. Supreme Court decisions, the evolution of First Amendment doctrines in the lower courts and the policy implications of presidential decision-making regarding social service delivery by faith-based groups. His writings and commentary have appeared in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, Journal of Markets and Morality, PS: Political Science and Politics, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Law and History Review, the Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America, Democracy in America, and Major Acts of Congress. He is also co-author of the 2013 Ohio Civic Health Index.

Education

• Ph.D., Political Science, The Johns Hopkins University
• A.B. with College Honors, Political Science, University of Chicago

Teaching

• American Political System
• Politics and National Issues
• Theories of Civic Leadership and Democracy
• State and Local Government & Politics
• Law and Courts
• Constitutional Law
• Civil Rights and Liberties
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure
• Administrative Law
• Capstone on Great Trials

Professional Affiliations

• American Political Science Association
• Midwest Poltiical Science Association
• Law and Society Association
• Ohio Council for the Social Studies

Publications

“State and Federal Legal Protections for Peyote Use in the United States,” in B. Labate & C. Cavnar, (eds.), Peyote: History, Tradition, Politics and Conservation (Santa Barbara: Praeger, forthcoming in 2015)

“Delegation of Legislative Power,” in T. Birkland, M. Graber, D. Lutz, J. Patrick & T. Vontz, eds.., American Governance (Macmillan, forthcoming in 2015)

“Seventeenth Amendment,” in T. Birkland, M. Graber, D. Lutz, J. Patrick & T. Vontz, eds., American Governance (Macmillan, forthcoming in 2015)

“Zenger Trial,” in T. Birkland, M. Graber, D. Lutz, J. Patrick & T. Vontz, eds., American Governance (Macmillan, forthcoming in 2015)

2013 Ohio Civic Health Index Report (with Sarah Woiteshek), Washington:  National Conference on Citizenship, 2014

“Civic Engagement I,” co-authored with Rebecca JoAnn Cruise and Robbin E. Smith, in Kimberly A. Mealy, “2012 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference and Track Summaries,” PS:  Political Science and Politics 45 (3):  522-523 (July 2012)

“Government Support of Faith-Based Social Services:  A Look at Three Potential Pitfalls,” J. of Markets and Morality 1:  161-170 (Spring 2006)

“Revisiting Four Popular Myths About the Peyote Case,” 8 U. Pa. J. of Constl. Law  209-253 (March 2006)

“2005 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference Track Summaries – Track 8: Technology,” co-authored with Robert Trudeau (Providence College), PS:  Political Science and Politics 38 (3):  427-428 (July 2005)

“The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970,” in B. Landsberg, ed., Major Acts of Congress (Macmillan, 2004), pp. 94-99.

“Search Incident to Arrest,” in David Schultz and John Vile, eds., Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (M.E. Sharpe, 2004), pp. 849-850.

“United States v. Drayton,” in David Schultz and John Vile, eds., Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (M.E. Sharpe, 2004), pp. 975-976.

“United States v. Santana,” in David Schultz and John Vile, eds., Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (M.E. Sharpe, 2004), pp. 983-984.

Book Review of Mark Killenbeck, ed., The Tenth Amendment and State Sovereignty:  Constitutional History and Contemporary Issues (Lanham:  Roman & Littlefield, 2003), in Publius (Summer 2005): 491-92.

Book Review of William G. Ross, Forging New Freedoms: Native Education and the Constitution, 1917-1927 (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1994) in Law and History Review (Spring, 1997): 192-194.