Raff Donelson is Professor of Law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law and Professor of Philosophy (by courtesy) in the Lewis College of Science and Letters, both part of Illinois Tech. He teaches courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and legal theory. His wide-ranging research grapples with questions in law, in philosophy, and at the intersection of these two fields. In philosophy, his research focuses on the foundations of ethics, the American pragmatist tradition, and on questions about the nature of law. His legal research centers on police, criminal suspects, and the plight of incarcerated persons.
Before joining Illinois Tech as a tenured professor, Donelson held tenure-track appointments at Penn State and at Louisiana State University. Donelson holds a PhD in philosophy as well as a JD from Northwestern University, a MA in humanities from the University of Chicago, and a BA in philosophy and political science from Williams College.
Outside the classroom, Donelson wears many hats. He co-edits the Journal of Legal Philosophy with Jonathan Crowe and Hillary Nye. He is a member of the Epistemic Reparations Group, a group of scholars and activists developing forums and frameworks for addressing victims' right to be known. He is a coordinator and founding member of the Policing, Policy, and Philosophy Initiative (3PI), a group of philosophers who promote the study of police. Dr. Donelson regularly shares his legal expertise and informed policy perspectives with media, and his stature as a scholar has led to consulting opportunities with government. An in-demand public speaker, Donelson has been invited to give lectures at colleges and universities around the world on all six inhabited continents, as well as presentations for private groups and for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for US-based attorneys.
A firm believer in giving back to the broader community, Donelson has contributed his time and resources to various public service ventures. These include serving on the Carlisle, Pennsylvania Truth & Reconciliation Commission and leadership on nonprofit boards related to access to justice. Now back in Chicago, Donelson is actively looking for new opportunities for board service for organizations focused on the performing arts, on providing low-cost legal services, or on LGBTQ issues.
Originally hailing from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Donelson lives in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago with his husband, the Reverend Dan Puchalla, Rector at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church.