UC San Diego
Department of Communication
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Kate Levitt-BrandinKate Levitt-Brandin

Email Address: klevitt@ucsd.edu

Education

BA in Political Science, concentration in Latin American Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University (2002), magna cum laude
Thesis entitled “Revolucion y Cultura: A Study of Cuban Cultural Policy in the 1960s and 1970s”

Research Interests

My current work examines constructions of danger and risk in urban nightlife, bridging literature on urban studies, sociology of risk, criminology, critical geography, popular music and youth culture.  I am concerned with both representations of urban violence and reactions to potential and real threats, as well as the historical and contemporary circumstances in which nightclubs and music scenes have increasingly become sites that normalize social control, security and surveillance. Within this project, I seek to understand the transformation and production of space, youth culture in neoliberalism, urban citizenship and democracy, and social and cultural discrimination.  Furthermore, I am interested in the trade and transnationalization of security policies, such as zero-tolerance strategies applied in multiple cities in the U.S., as well as Latin America. I have conducted research in New York City and Mexico City and hope to expand my work to include other cities.  I have also been DJing professionally since 1995, an essential part of my research, interests and free time. 

Conferences

  • 2007 - “Music, Murder, Metropolis: Nightclubs under siege, or a requiem for the stranger in New York City nightlife.” Paper given at the Union for Democratic Communication, October, at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and also at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, in June, at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. 
  • 2006 - “Turntables on the Hudson: Transformation and Exoticization in World Music Dance Parties in New York City.” Paper given at the Southern California Chapter Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, March 8, San Diego.

Fellowships, Grants, Honors and Awards

  • 2007 Union for Democratic Communication Travel Scholarship
  • 2007 Communication Department Conference Travel Grant
  • 2007 Summer Research Grant, Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies, UCSD
  • 2007 Summer Research Grant, Institute for International and Comparative Area Studies, UCSD
  • 2005-6 Academic Year FLAS, Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies, UCSD
  • 2002 Honors Scholar, Political Science Department, Barnard College
  • 1998-2002 Dean’s List, Barnard College
  • 1999 Alumni Internship Award, Barnard College