Michael Samers

Michael Samers is a Full Professor of Economic and Urban Geography at the University of Kentucky, serving as Director of Graduate Studies. He holds affiliations with the International Studies program. Previously, he held positions at the University of Nottingham (Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor from 2002–2006) and the University of Liverpool (1997–2002). His research focuses on migration studies, political economy, AI-labor market dynamics, and international finance, with a regional emphasis on Europe and the U.S.

Education includes a BA from Clark University (1988), MS from University of Wisconsin-Madison (1991), and D.Phil from Oxford University (1997) under David Harvey and Erik Swyngedouw. Key awards include a 2013–2014 Fulbright Fellowship at Université de Lille II.

Research interests span migration governance, AI's impact on labor, and comparative welfare systems. Recent work examines immigrant entrepreneurship in France and FinTech's geographies. Over 90 publications include edited volumes on migration-nationalism linkages and AI-financial markets interfaces.

Teaching emphasizes critical political economy frameworks. Current projects explore transatlantic urban migration governance and AI's socio-spatial implications. No lab affiliations are explicitly stated in the provided materials.