How an Investigative Journalist Studies Public Policy

press release:

Q&A with Sarah Stillman, The New Yorker

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Sewell Social Sciences Building, 1130 Observatory Drive, Madison, Room 8417

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

A staff writer at The New Yorker since 2013, Sarah Stillman provides new and compelling perspectives on social injustices (including her current work on the intersection of the criminal justice system, immigration, and deportation) and policy implications. 

Stillman, who also leads the Global Migration Project at Columbia University, won the MacArthur Foundation "genius" award in 2016. 

"One of the great honors and obligations of the MacArthur (award) is to be willing to tackle complicated stories where you don't quite know what you're going to get and to be willing to take risks on stories that seem like they could have a meaningful public policy impact and spur the kind of public conversation that may not be happening," she said in an interview with Newsweek.

She received a 2012 National Magazine Award and a 2012 Hillman Prize for Magazine Journalism for her 2011 story about the poor treatment of foreign workers at U.S. military bases, and her 2013 work on civil asset forfeiture won attention from policymakers across the country. In 2016, she won the MacArthur Foundation "genius" award.

Stillman's presentation is part of the Public Affairs Writer in Residence Program, which is sponsored by the La Follette School and the University Communications Writer in Residence Program, and is supported by the University of Wisconsin Foundation.