Center for Migration Studies at New York University

Center for Migration Studies at New York University
Name	Center for Migration Studies at New York University
Formation	1960s
Type	Research institute
Location	New York City
Leader title	Director
Parent organization	New York University

Contents

Center for Migration Studies at New York University The Center for Migration Studies at New York University is a research institute located in New York City that examines migratory phenomena through interdisciplinary inquiry. The center engages with scholars and practitioners connected to United Nations, International Organization for Migration, UN Refugee Agency, World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank networks to inform policy debates affecting transnational populations. It publishes research used by stakeholders such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, European Commission, Organization of American States, and nongovernmental actors including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and International Rescue Committee.

History

The center traces intellectual roots to migration studies initiatives emerging alongside institutions like Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Early collaborations referenced scholars associated with Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, and Yale University. During periods overlapping with events such as the Vietnam War, Mariel boatlift, Fall of the Berlin Wall, Bosnian War, and European migrant crisis, the center expanded ties to policy forums in Washington, D.C. and Brussels. Its archival and oral-history projects have engaged materials comparable to collections at the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, Immigration History Research Center, and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

The center’s mission aligns with themes addressed by entities including the Pew Research Center, Brookings Institution, Migration Policy Institute, RAND Corporation, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Research topics encompass forced displacement linked to events like the Syrian civil war, Rohingya crisis, South Sudanese Civil War, and climate-driven relocation such as after Hurricane Maria and Typhoon Haiyan. Methodological work references comparative studies from Oxford University, Cambridge University, London School of Economics, and European University Institute, and engages legal analysis tied to instruments like the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, and regional accords such as the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees.

The center’s governance model reflects academic configurations found at New York University, with advisory boards drawing figures from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, U.S. Congress, European Parliament, and leaders from International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières. Directors and senior fellows have affiliations with universities such as Columbia University, Georgetown University, University of Oxford, Brown University, and Rutgers University. The organizational chart includes research units comparable to those at Migration Research Hub, training programs akin to Fulbright Program, and administrative oversight coordinated with NYU divisions like NYU Wagner and NYU School of Law.

Programs include policy fellowships similar to those at the Kellogg Institute, training initiatives linked to United Nations University, and data projects paralleling efforts by Statista and the Pew Hispanic Center. Initiatives have addressed labor mobility affecting sectors represented by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, International Labour Organization, National Immigration Forum, and industry stakeholders such as Global Compact for Migration proponents. Community-engaged projects have coordinated with local partners including New York City Mayor’s Office, Bronx County clinics, Queens Community Board, and cultural institutions like the Museum of the City of New York.

The center issues working papers and monographs in the style of publications from Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Routledge, and policy briefs resembling reports from American Enterprise Institute and Center for Strategic and International Studies. Its bibliographic outputs cite scholarship by authors associated with Alejandro Portes, Douglas Massey, Stephen Castles, Hein de Haas, and Saskia Sassen, and draw comparative data sets akin to those from World Bank Migration and Remittances, UN DESA, Eurostat, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Conferences convened by the center have featured panels including researchers from Princeton University, King’s College London, Australian National University, and think tanks such as Institute for Global Affairs.

The center’s research has informed policy deliberations referenced in hearings before the United States Congress, submissions to the United Nations General Assembly, and advisory reports to the European Council. Critics from outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and commentators associated with Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation have questioned aspects of methodology, funding transparency, and policy prescriptions. Debates around normative positions have intersected with litigation at venues like the U.S. Supreme Court, advocacy campaigns by ACLU, and policy shifts linked to administrations of Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

Category:Research institutes in New York City