Alan Tarr is a political scientist specializing in constitutional law, judicial politics, and federalism. He is a Board of Governors Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Rutgers University–Camden, where he taught for many years.
Tarr's research interests include the role of state supreme courts in the American legal system, comparative constitutionalism, and the influence of historical context on constitutional interpretation. He has written extensively on these topics, contributing significantly to the understanding of American constitutional development and judicial behavior.
His publications include books such as Understanding State Constitutions, Judicial Process and Judicial Policymaking, Constitutional Law and Judicial Policy Making, Without Fear or Favor: Judicial Independence and Judicial Accountability in the States, and State Supreme Courts in State and Nation. He has also authored numerous articles and book chapters on related subjects.
Tarr received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago. He has held visiting professorships and fellowships at various institutions and has served on editorial boards for several academic journals in the field of political science and law. His work is frequently cited by scholars and practitioners in constitutional law and related fields.