Following its inaugural conference, the Im/migrant Well-Being Scholar Collaborative (“The Collaborative”) announces its biennial “Im/migrant Well-Being: A Nexus for Research & Policy” event to take place on February 14-15, 2025, in St. Petersburg, Florida. The call for papers is now available and registration for the public will open this fall.
“We are excited to bring together scholars, community organizations, policymakers, and members of the press once again to collaborate on and learn more about research and policy on im/migrant well-being,” said Dr. Elizabeth Vaquera, Executive Director of the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute and Co-Founder of the Collaborative. “Our biennial conference is a key element of the Collaborative’s mission to ensure that empirical work is accessible for policymakers, community advocates, and the broader public.”
The first “Im/migrant Well-Being: A Nexus for Research & Policy” conference, held in 2023, convened scholars, policymakers, and community advocates to address critical issues surrounding immigrant well-being. The conference resulted in the publication of two special peer-reviewed issues, spanning fourteen articles, in the academic journal, American Behavioral Scientist and a public research briefing, At the Border and Beyond: Research-Informed Approaches to Advance Immigrant Well-Being.
In its second iteration, the conference, with the support of the National Science Foundation, will focus on the intergenerational dynamics of immigration and well-being, recognizing that the experiences of im/migrants and their descendants evolve in response to state policies and global challenges. The Collaborative seeks to set a forward-looking agenda that anticipates the needs and challenges of im/migrant populations in the coming years, particularly as we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
“The conference seeks to generate empirical work that promotes the humanity of im/migrants and informs evidence-based policymaking at the local, state, and national level at a time when more humane immigration policy solutions are desperately needed,” said Dr. Elizabeth Aranda, Director of the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center and Co-Founder of the Collaborative. “We invite scholars whose work aligns with these themes to contribute and share their research.”
Conference Highlights:
- Dates and Location: February 14-15, 2025, at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel, St. Petersburg, Florida.
- Focus: Intergenerational dynamics of well-being, adaptability, and resilience among immigrant populations in the face of evolving U.S. policies and global challenges.
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert C. Smith, Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at CUNY Graduate Center, renowned for his work in publicly engaged scholarship and policy advocacy.
The Collaborative welcomes submissions to the conference from a diverse range of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, education, economics, anthropology, political science, criminology, and other related fields. Scholars from underrepresented backgrounds and minority-serving institutions are strongly encouraged to submit their work. Submissions must address a specific U.S. immigration policy or state policy.
About the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute: The Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute draws on the intellectual strength of The George Washington University and the resources of the nation’s capital to cultivate citizen scholars and innovative research focused on the Latine community.
About the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center: The Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center at the University of South Florida fosters interdisciplinary collaboration in research among migration and immigrant incorporation scholars and to translate that work into innovative policy solutions that advance the well-being of migrants to the U.S.
Johanna Cajina serves as the Communications Lead for the Im/migrant Well-Being Scholar Collaborative.