I am a doctoral candidate in Sociology at the University of Michigan, working at the intersection of urban sociology and the sociology of migration.

My doctoral research uses Jamaica as a case to examine how ideas about a homeland are constructed, legitimized, and contested within a diaspora —both through real-world actions and digital discourse — and how these narratives shape the voluntary return pathways of young adults.

At the heart of my research are three key questions:

1. How are ideas about Jamaica constructed? What role do public discourse, government policies, private sector initiatives, civil society organizations, and digital media play in shaping these ideas?

2. How do certain narratives about Jamaica become dominant within the diaspora? Why do some versions of "home" gain traction among young members of the diaspora, while others are sidelined?

3. How do perceptions of Jamaica shape the return pathways of young adults of Jamaican descent? How do these narratives influence who returns, how they return, why they return, and how they experience the process of return?

My doctoral research has been generously supported by the Social Science & Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the University of Michigan’s International Institute