Mitchell Kiefer

I am interested in the intersection of science, culture, and politics. I study the ways in which social actors use, frame, and construct scientific knowledge to manage socio-environmental problems. In doing so, I focus on the social construction of expertise and knowledge, drawing from the interactions between experts, policy makers, activists, and other stakeholders. My dissertation compares how two cities--Miami, Florida and Rotterdam, the Netherlands--are operationalizing and implementing the concept of 'resilience' to prepare for and adapt to sea-level rise. I foreground local cultures and politics of expertise to explore how and why emergent socio-environmental problems are politicized and the role of experts in these processes.