Robert Swansbrough was born on May 3, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois, and died in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on February 1, 2011.
Professor Swansbrough graduated with a BA in history from California State University at Long Beach (1961). He received his MA (1967) and his Ph.D. in political science (1972) from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
He served as a visiting assistant professor in the department of government at the College of William and Mary between September 1970 and June 1971 before joining the department of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in August 1971. He was awarded tenure at UTC in 1974 and promoted to the rank of full professor in 1982. He also served as head of the department of political science between January 1981 and August 1992. His last administrative assignment was to serve as associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences.
Professor Swansbrough was a distinguished teacher at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. In addition, he was a committed and energetic scholar. His first book, The Embattled Colossus: Economic Nationalism and U.S. Investors in Latin America (University of Florida Press, 1976) was based on his doctoral dissertation. For a number of years afterward, he switched gears and produced a number of important monographs and book chapters dealing with Southern politics and political change in Tennessee. More recently, he became interested in studies of leadership. This resulted in a major book, Test by Fire: The War Presidency of George W. Bush (Palgrave, 2008). A number of his articles have appeared in various journals, including Political Psychology, Southeastern Political Review, Campaigns and Elections, Journal of Politics, and Issues in Higher Education.
Bob was selected as a 2009–2010 Fulbright Scholar to China, where he taught an undergraduate course in American government and a graduate seminar on U.S. foreign policy at Sichuan University. He was invited to give guest lectures at a number of leading Chinese universities on American politics and U.S. foreign policy. He kept a lively and informative blog during his stay in China.
In 1974, Professor Swansbrough served as Tennessee Third District campaign coordinator for Congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd (D) and then as her administrative assistant in Washington, DC, from 1975–77. He was no stranger to the Washington scene. As a Congressional Fellow of the APSA (1969–70), he served as a legislative assistant in the Washington offices of Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris and California Congressman John Tunney.
Bob served as a Division Officer, U.S. Navy, from 1961 to 1965. At UTC, he was instrumental in reestablishing the ROTC program in 2007. In recognition of his service, he was presented with the General William E. Depuy Award by the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia.
Bob was often asked to offer his views as a political analyst for television stations and print publications.
His funeral was attended by an impressive cross-section of people, including former students, colleagues, and community activists from both political parties, in addition to family and close friends.
