Hi, I’m Kayonne.
I’m a qualitative sociologist working at the intersection of diaspora/ethnic return, migration, and digital media technologies. I’m currently pursuing my PhD in sociology at The University of Michigan, where I study return migration infrastructure—the assemblage of technologies, institutions, and actors that facilitate return back to an ancestral homeland. My work focuses on the voluntary return of highly skilled young adults/young professionals of Jamaican descent (living in Canada, the US, and the UK) back to Jamaica. While my primary regional focus is the Caribbean, I am a global historical and comparative thinker who finds immense value in drawing connections across different global contexts and temporal periods.
Before beginning my PhD, I received my MA in Sociology from the University of British Columbia. I completed my undergraduate training at McMaster University, where I received my BSc (honours) in the Life Sciences, and BA (summa cum laude) in Health Studies.
My interdisciplinary academic training has provided me with the unique opportunity to conduct research on various contemporary social issues. I have published work on topics ranging from urban inequality to medical education to the impact of COVID-19 on society, to racism and health. My work on racism and health has appeared in academic textbooks, such as The Routledge Companion to Intersectionality, academic journals, such as The Lancet Regional Health and The Journal of Healthcare for The Poor and Underserved, as well as online, public-facing magazines, such as TRAD.
My research has been recognized by the American Sociological Association and the Pacific Sociological Association as the recipient of the Louise Johnson Scholar Award and the Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award, respectively.
Outside of my academic work, I enjoy latin dancing, running, cafe-hopping, and exploring new hobbies. I am also a licensed real estate agent in Jamaica.
You can view my CV here.