Stephanie Savell

Stephanie Savell is an anthropologist of militarism, security, civic engagement, and political culture, and has studied these topics in the United States and in Brazil. She co-directs Brown University's Costs of War Project and conducts research and outreach on the U.S. war on terrorism and its costs for Americans and others around the world. Another major line of research is on policing and activism in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she has conducted extensive field research. Savell writes for academic and public audiences; she has published in PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review, Focaal: Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology, the Smithsonian magazine, US News and World Report, Axios, and The Nation, among others, and is co-author of The Civic Imagination: Making a Difference in American Political Life (Routledge, 2014).

Publications

“When Is America Going to End Its Shadow War in Somalia?,” The Guardian, September 5, 2019.

“Opinion: Democratic Candidates Are Ignoring the 'Endless War' Beyond Afghanistan,” Military Times, August 11, 2019.

“Performing Humanitarian Militarism: Public Security and the Military in Brazil.” Focaal: Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology 75: 59-72. 2016.

“‘I’m Not a Leader’: Cynicism and Good Citizenship in a Brazilian Favela.” PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review 38(2): 300-317. 2015.

The Civic Imagination: Making a Difference in American Political Life. Routledge. (Co-authored with Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Elizabeth A. Bennett, Alissa Cordner, and Peter Taylor Klein.) 2014.

Talks & Media

Podcast interview. “Episode 39: Stephanie Savell: The Costs of War,” The Peacebuilding Podcast, August 6.

News|Recent News

Fewer troops won’t end wars. Most U.S. combat involves airstrikes. (Stephanie Savell cited)

December 7, 2020 Washington Post

This article cites research produced by Costs of War Senior Research Associate, Stephanie Savell.

Biden prepares radical policy adjustments on COVID, economy, immigration and more (commentary by Stephanie Savell)

November 30, 2020 CBS Baltimore

In this piece, Stephanie Savell provides commentary on the transition of military defense from the Trump administration to Biden's.

Biden readies sweeping policy shifts on COVID, economy, immigration and more (commentary by Stephanie Savell)

November 16, 2020 CBS Baltimore

In this article, Stephanie Savell offered commentary predicting what the U.S. military budget will look like under the Biden administration.

Stephanie Savell on the Role of U.S. Military Around the World (interview with Stephanie Savell)

December 2, 2019 C-Span

Stephanie Savell, faculty fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs discusses the Costs of War Project and U.S. military deployments around the world in this interview with C-Span.

Democratic candidates are ignoring the "Endless War" beyond Afghanistan (written by Stephanie Savell)

August 12, 2019 Military Times

Stephanie Savell, Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, in Military Times, "America is currently embroiled in counterterror wars stretching across the planet, and public discussions are largely ignoring them. It’s good to see the Presidential candidates talking about ending the war in Afghanistan, but the American public deserves to know what these candidates plan for the rest of the wars as well."

The Costs of War (interview with Stephanie Savell)

August 6, 2019 Susan Coleman

Stephanie Savell, Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, sat down with Susan Coleman to discuss the Project and the war on terror, saying "it seems to be 'the biggest story in the United States that no one wants to talk about.'"

Stephanie Savell on America's Role in Global War Against Terrorism (interview)

April 22, 2019 C-SPAN

Stephanie Savell, Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, joined C-SPAN to discuss "America's expanding role in the global war against terrorism."

People

Biography