Xavier Escandell

Xavier Escandell is a Professor in the Sociology Department at Grinnell College, where he also directs the DASIL (Data Analysis and Social Inquiry Lab). His work focuses on immigration, transnationalism, and race/ethnic relations in Europe and Latin America. Prior to joining Grinnell, he earned his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005) and was a fellow at the University of California, San Diego’s Center for Comparative Immigration Studies.

• Education:
  • PhD in Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005)
  • Fellowship: Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, UC San Diego

His research examines socio-cultural integration of Bolivian migrants in Spain, transnational parenting practices, and the rise of xenophobia in Western Europe. Current projects include studying the Xuetes of Mallorca, a historically marginalized Jewish community recently recognized in the 21st century. His ethnographic work bridges macro-institutional contexts with micro-level cultural processes.

Articles highlight themes such as immigrant deservingness in Europe, return migration dynamics, and public attitudes toward citizenship rights. His scholarship critiques how demographic shifts and institutional frameworks shape perceptions of migrants and fuel anti-immigrant sentiment. Escandell also analyzes transnational families’ strategies for maintaining cultural ties while navigating host-country environments.

As DASIL director, he supports students in quantitative and qualitative social research methods. Teaching focuses on global ethnography and transnational migration studies.