Abigail Stepnitz

Job title: 
Assistant Professor of Law, Politics & Society at Drake University
Bio/CV: 

My research lies at the intersection of law and narrative with topical emphases on immigration and climate change. While my approach is broadly rooted in the law and society tradition, it also benefits from methodological and theoretical contributions from the social sciences, in particular sociology, history, and migration studies. My scholarship consists of two main strands: (1) what I refer to as law’s “possibilities,” where I consider the normative implications of law-making in the face of the climate crisis and its attendant social, political and economic changes; and (2) the role of narrative and credibility in law and legal decision-making, with a particular focus on the experiences of refugees and asylum-seekers.

abigailstepnitz.com

Research interests: 

Asylum, refugees, climate change