It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Thomas R. Dye, Emeritus Professor of Political Science and former McKenzie Professor of Government at Florida State University, who passed away on June 22, 2025.
Dr. Dye joined the FSU faculty in 1968 and served with distinction until his retirement in 2000. He earned his B.S. and M.A. at Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. Before coming to FSU, he held teaching appointments at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia, and he later served as a visiting scholar at Bar-Ilan University and the Brookings Institution.
Tom Dye made monumental contributions to the study of public policy and state politics. His groundbreaking textbooks—among them The Irony of Democracy (17th ed.), Who’s Running America? (8th ed.), and Understanding Public Policy (15th ed.)—have educated and inspired generations of students. His scholarly work, focusing on elite theory vs. pluralism, the influence of interest groups, campaign finance, foundations, think tanks, and the media in policymaking, earned him major accolades including the Harold Lasswell Award for career contributions to the study of public policy and the Donald C. Stone Award for career contributions to the study of federalism.
Dr. Dye also served the profession generously—as President of the Southern Political Science Association and the Policy Studies Organization, and Secretary of the American Political Science Association—demonstrating institutional leadership alongside his scholarly productivity.
Each year, the Department of Political Science honors Dr. Dye’s legacy through the Thomas R. Dye Scholarship, awarded to one of our outstanding undergraduates, ensuring that his influence continues to inspire future generations. This scholarship was made available through a generous gift of Dr. Dye and his beloved wife, Joan.
We are saddened to report that Dr. Kathleen Kemp has passed away.
Professor Kemp received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1978 and taught at the University of Houston before joining the Florida State University Political Science Department in 1980. Professor Kemp taught at FSU until her retirement in 2007.
Professor Kemp was an expert on American regulatory policy and state politics. Her scholarship appeared in the Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, American Politics Research, and other scholarly journals.
Professor Kemp continued to live in Tallahassee during her retirement and was active in the community.
Professor Emeritus Monte Palmer has passed away.
Professor Palmer received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1967 before joining the faculty at FSU later that year. He taught at FSU until 1998.
Professor Palmer had more than fifty years of personal experience studying the Middle East including work in Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Iraq. The purpose of his work with the people of the area was to understand all aspects of the life of the people and share what he learned in his classroom lectures, his books and articles, and later virtually via blogs. His ability to speak fluent Arabic endeared him to his colleagues while his expertise in Middle Eastern bureaucracy, politics, terrorism, and culture was legitimized by authoring over twenty books. His latest books include The Arab Psyche and American Frustrations, Islamic Extremism, Politics of the Middle East, Egypt and the Game of Terror, a novel, and Faith, Force, and Finance in the Middle East. He served as a Senior Fellow at the Al Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies in Cairo, Egypt, as a former Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut, and as a consultant for USAID and The World Bank.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Princess, and his three daughters and their families.