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New scholar reflection: Douglas S. Massey on a career in Latino studies
Rutgers Latino Studies Research Initiative · April 9, 2026
We are pleased to share a new addition to our Scholar Reflections series. Douglas S. Massey, Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs Emeritus at Princeton University, has contributed a reflection on his career in Latino and Mexican studies — one of the most influential research careers in the field over the past four decades.
In his reflection, Professor Massey traces the roots of his scholarship: his Finnish immigrant grandparents in Alaska, his early formation in Spanish in the public schools of Olympia, Washington, and the intellectual journey that led him from Princeton’s Office of Population Research to pioneering work on Hispanic segregation, Mexico-U.S. migration, and Latino communities across the United States. His reflection is personal, candid, and, given the current political moment, deeply timely.