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College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Lori Riverstone

Associate Professor
Politics and Government
Office
SCH Schroeder Hall 426
Office Hours
Mondays 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. & Wednesdays 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Office Phone
(309) 438-2480office
phone
Email
lrivers@ilstu.eduemail
  • About
  • Education
  • Research

Biography

Dr. Riverstone graduated with a Masters of Public Administration and a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She lives in Bloomington, IL., with her husband and daughter.

Current Courses

499.001Independent Research For The Master's Thesis

431.001Seminar In Public Administration

221.001U.S. State And Local Government

222.001Urban Politics And Problems

236.001Environmental Politics And Policy

499.002Independent Research For The Master's Thesis

421.001Seminar In State And Local Politics

221.001U.S. State And Local Government

Teaching Interests & Areas

Subnational politics, particularly Urban Politics and Intergovernmental Relations. Also, Public Administration and Environmental Politics.

Research Interests & Areas

Primary focus is on the interaction of governments in the U.S. intergovernmental system, specifically, the tools and strategies used by state and local governments to accomplish their goals and defend their interests in America's highly competitive political system.

Ph D Political Science

University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

Master of Public Administration

University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

BA English

University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

Book, Authored

Renegade Cities, Public Policy, and the Dilemmas of Federalism. 2013. Lynne Rienner/FirstForum Publishers.

Cited Research

Riverstone, L. The Frontlines of America's Culture Wars: Fighting Back against Abusive State Preemption. Local Solutions Support Center (2023)
Riverstone, L. Dissent, Litigation & Defiance: Local Leaders Resist Abusive Preemption. Benjamin Winig, Katie Belanger (EDs). Local Solutions Support Center (2022)

Journal Article

Hicks, W., Weissert, C., Swanson, J., Bulman-Pozen, J., Kogan, V., Riverstone-Newell, L., . . . Lewis, D. (2017). Riverstone-Newell, Lori (2017) "State Preemption as Scalpel and Sword" in Home Rule Be Damned: Exploring Policy Conflicts between the Statehouse and City Hall. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-12. doi:10.1017/S1049096517001421
Lori Riverstone-Newell; The Rise of State Preemption Laws in Response to Local Policy Innovation, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Volume 47, Issue 3, 1 July 2017, Pages 403–425, https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjx037

The Diffusion of Local Bill of Rights Resolutions to the States, State and Local Government Review, Vol. 45, Issue 1, pp. 14-24.

Bottom-Up Activism: A Local Political Strategy for Higher Policy Change. Publius: The Journal of Federalism. Vol. 42, Issue 3.

Scholars, Teachers, Practitioners, and Students: Learning by Fishing, Story-telling, and Appreciative Inquiry. With Robert Cunningham and Steve Roberts. Journal of Public Affairs Education. Vol. 11, Issue 1.

Presentations

Community Advocacy Efforts in an Era of State Centralization. Urban Affairs Association. (2022)
Local Governments Respond to State Interference During COVID. Midwest Political Science Association. (2022)
Multi-Level Governance in Local Politics and Policymaking. Midwest Political Science Association. (2022)
Speaker on Empowering Women Panel. Empowering Women Panel. ISU Redbirds FirstGen. (2022)
Understanding the Impact of State Preemption on Community Advocacy Efforts. Urban Affairs Association Annual Meeting. (2022)
Preemption Research Webinar. Preemption Research Webinar. Local Solutions Support Center and ThinkForward Strategies. (2021)
The (State) Politics of COVID. MPSA - 78th Annual Meeting. MPSA. (2021)
https://www.uvu.edu/ccs/events/posts/state-constituitions.html
The Political Economy of Housing Preemption. Research to Action: The Impacts of State Preemption on Housing and Equity. Local Solutions Support Center and ChangeLab Solutions. (2019)
The Politics of Preemption: State and Local Responses. Research Convening on the Impacts of Preemption on Economics and Equity. Local Solutions Support Center and ChangeLab Solutions. (2019)