An Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor and inaugural member of SMU’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers, his teaching and research interests are in constitutional law, judicial politics and American political thought. He has published three books and more than 20 articles and book chapters. The Teaching Company published his lecture series "Cycles of American Political Thought," and he was a featured interview on PBS’s "The Supreme Court." For his teaching and service to SMU, he has been recognized with the M Award, the Willis M. Tate Award (twice), Rotunda Outstanding Professor (four times), Distinguished University Citizen Award, H.O.P.E. Distinguished Professor and the Deshner Award, among others. In 2011, he was named H.O.P.E. Professor of the Year.