Dr. Stephanie Paterson

Biography

Stephanie Paterson received her PhD in Public Policy from the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, where she specialized in Canadian public policy. Her academic work centers on the effects produced by states that take up feminist knowledge and expertise, focusing on feminist critical policy studies, feminist governance, state feminism, gender mainstreaming, and the politics of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. Currently, she is engaged in SSHRC-funded research projects that analyze the implications of gender-based analysis (GBA) within federal and provincial governments, particularly how GBA disrupts technocratic discourse and practice. Her research also includes a transdisciplinary investigation into the transition to motherhood, emphasizing the lived effects of policy interventions aimed at first-time birth parents. Additionally, she explores how emotions, care, and empathy can transform the design and implementation of public policy. Paterson teaches courses on policy theory, feminist policy studies, and Canadian public policy. She is also a Book Review Co-Editor for Critical Policy Studies and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Policy & Politics. Furthermore, she co-directs the Feminist Policy Lab with Dr. Francesca Scala.

Research Interests

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