Deirdre Pfeiffer

Deirdre Pfeiffer is an Associate Professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University. Her work focuses on the intersection of race, urban policy, and systemic inequality. Her research examines how racialized discourses and covert racism perpetuate social stratification, particularly through housing, education, and legal systems. Key areas include racial code words, post-civil rights urbanization, and the impacts of housing market crises on marginalized communities.

Her notable publications analyze racial equity in suburban and exurban contexts, the role of real estate in shaping millennial urbanization, and the sociolegal implications of covert racial discourses. Pfeiffer’s interdisciplinary approach combines urban studies, sociology, and critical race theory to address structural inequities.

Recent work includes 'Deconstructing racial code words' (2024), which explores how coded language maintains racial hierarchies. She has also studied foreclosure impacts on neighborhoods and the effects of housing policies on educational outcomes. Her research emphasizes actionable insights for equitable urban planning and policy reform.