Heba Gowayed

Heba Gowayed is an Associate Professor of Sociology at CUNY Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center. Her research focuses on migration, borders, and the intersection of race and legal status, emphasizing how states shape refugees' potential through institutional frameworks. She is the author of the award-winning book Refuge (Princeton University Press, 2022), analyzing refugee experiences in the U.S., Canada, and Germany. Her current project, The Cost of Borders, examines borders as costly and deadly transactions driven by security agendas. Gowayed is a 2025-2027 Carnegie Fellow.

Her work bridges academia and public discourse, appearing in outlets like The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and Teen Vogue. She investigates global migration systems, exploring topics such as refugee resettlement policies, racialized labor markets, and economic disparities. Her research highlights the human costs of border enforcement and systemic exclusion.

• Key Affiliations: CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Graduate Center
• Key Awards: Carnegie Fellowship (2025-2027)

Her scholarship extends to public engagement, emphasizing the need for equitable policies that address displacement and inequality. She critiques how institutions perpetuate marginalization through policies that fail to recognize refugees' potential, advocating for systemic reforms.