Emma Labovitz
I’m Emma, a Sociologist and Demographer, interested in the intersection of migration, life course, family, and the environment, and how it shapes the coming of age in Nepal.
I am currently an NIH T-32 postdoc at the Population Research Institute at Penn State University.
Research & Teaching
ResearchMy research focuses on how the migration of family and community members reshapes demographic and family behaviors for non-migrants in Nepal. My dissertation, Coming of Age in the Age of Migration, explores this question in the context of Nepal, where I use a mixed-method approach to understand how migration at the household and community levels reshapes young adults' perceptions of the transition to adulthood and their own migration aspirations.
My work has been published in Population and Environment with R&Rs at the International Migration Review and Journal of Marriage and Family.
I’m increasingly interested in exploring these demographic processes in relation to environmental change.
TeachingWorking with students is what initially drew me to graduate school, as I’ve always loved the collaborative nature of a dynamic, engaging course. This passion shapes my classroom, where I focus on creating an inclusive space that fosters active learning, offers multiple ways to engage with content, and supports diverse methods for students to express their understanding. In constructing my classes, I root concepts in real-world applications so students can see theory in practice, utilize small groups and discussion-based learning to provide multiple venues for engaging with the material, and implement varied forms of assessment to accommodate diverse learning preferences.
I’ve served as an instructor for courses on both migration and family.
