Robert Futrell has studied politics, social movements and far-right extremism for more than two and a half decades, focusing on the cultural and organization dynamics that enable movement persistence and resurgence. He also works on ecological issues related to sustainability, climate change, and urban life. He has co-authored two books American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement’s Hidden Spaces of Hate and Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can be Stopped. His articles appear in peer-reviewed journals that include Social Problems, Sociological Quarterly, Annual Review of Sociology, Mobilization, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Science, Technology, & Human Values, and the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, among others. He has been featured in various major media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg News, WIRED, Christian Science Monitor, NPR, Al Jazeera, U.S. News and World Report, Chronicle of Higher Education, and NBC News.

Futrell teaches undergraduate courses in social movements, environmental sociology, climate change, and sociology of sport. He also offers graduate seminars in social movements and environmental sociology, as well as a teaching seminar and practicum. He has received several teaching awards including the UNLV Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award.

Futrell was Sociology Department Chair from 2013 to 2023. He was selected for the UNLV Outstanding Department Chair Award in 2019. In fall 2024, he moved into the role of Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the UNLV College of Liberal Arts.