As a critical urban, political, and cultural geographer Stephanie's research explores geographies of in/security, vulnerability, threat, and fear in U. S. cities. This research is focused on historical and contemporary theorizations of urban vulnerabilities, particularly within the contexts of homeland security, emergency preparedness, security design, and attempts to create secure urban landscapes. This work is widely influenced by geographies of public space; theorizations of fear and the city; neoliberal urbanism and policing; governmentality; biopower; and theories of emergence, virtuality, and topology.

My dissertation research applies these interests to three case studies: first, a consideration of New York City’s post 9/11 security practice, particularly as related to evolving generations of fear and insecurity in Times Square; secondly, urban security mobilization in the case of the “Boston Scare” in which Cartoon Network advertisements resembling bombs shut down the city; and, lastly, the work of urban preparedness simulation towns and drills in the U.S. This research is driven by my belief that continual reevaluation of and open dialogue about security practices are crucial to creating just and reasoned considerations of vulnerabilities in urban spaces.

Forthcoming publications:
“Everywhere and nowhere: the exception and the topological challenge to geography” Antipode Co-authored with Oliver Belcher, Lauren Martin, Anna Secor, and Tommy Wilson.

Works in progress:
“A formula for disaster? The Department of Homeland Security, virtual threat, and the everyday emergency” Co-authored with Lauren Martin.

"‘If you raised a boy in a pink room...?’" Thoughts on teaching Geography and Gender