Leila Rodriguez

Leila Rodriguez is a Senior Research Associate (mapped to Researcher) in Anthropology at the University of Cincinnati. A Penn State Ph.D. (2009) specializing in migration and cultural diversity, she investigates migrant integration and the judicial use of cultural expertise in the Americas.

Education: Ph.D. in Anthropology & Demography (Penn State, 2009), M.A. (Penn State), B.A. (Universidad de Costa Rica).

Her research examines how legal systems employ cultural evidence in migration/asylum cases, with fieldwork in Latin America and the U.S. She has served as an expert witness since 2013 and published on topics ranging from Nigerian entrepreneurship in NYC to health insurance access for Ecuadorian domestic workers.

Dr. Rodriguez received the 2018 Community-Engaged Research Award for collaborations with immigrant advocacy organizations. Her forthcoming book 'Culture as Judicial Evidence' analyzes anthropological expert testimony in Latin American courts. Courses taught include 'Anthropology of International Migration' and 'Culture in the Courtroom.'