Eleanor Brown

Eleanor Brown is a Professor of Law and International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University, with an upcoming appointment as a full-time faculty member at Fordham Law School. She specializes in property law, migration, globalization, development, and race-related legal issues. Her research focuses on critical race theory, gender and sexuality, immigration, and racial justice. Brown holds a JD from Yale Law School, a master's from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and a bachelor's in molecular biology from Brown University.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Molecular Biology, Brown University
• Master's in Politics, Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar)
• Juris Doctor, Yale Law School (1999)

Research Interests: Brown’s work examines how legal frameworks shape property rights, migration patterns, and social inequality. She explores historical and contemporary narratives of asset acquisition among marginalized communities, particularly Black West Indian migrants, and critiques systems that perpetuate racial and economic disparities. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges law, sociology, and political economy.

Awards & Recognition:

• Ona Judge Award for Human Rights (Penn State)
• Yale/Harvard/Stanford Junior Faculty Forum Recognition

Advising & Governance: Brown has advised the Black Students Association at Penn State and served on boards including the Jamaican Education Transformation Commission, CARICOM Commission, and various Caribbean corporate entities. She has also clerked for federal judges Patricia Wald and Keith Ellison.

Labs/Teams: Active in legal academia and Caribbean development initiatives, she collaborates with organizations like the Rock Ethics Institute and the Africana Research Center.