Maite Tapia

Maite Tapia is an Associate Professor and Doctoral Program Chair in the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University (MSU), within the College of Social Science. She holds a PhD from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations (2013), with additional degrees from Cornell, the University of Parma (Italy), and the University of Ghent (Belgium). Her research focuses on worker voice, union organizing, intersectionality, and labor dynamics in global contexts, particularly in Amazon warehouses and comparative political economies between the U.S. and Europe. Tapia has been funded by organizations like the Hans Boeckler Foundation and has received prestigious awards such as the Luis Aparicio Prize (2021) and the John T. Dunlop Award (2019). She leads initiatives like Michigan RISES, supporting restaurant workers, and mentors over 13 undergraduate students and PhD advisees. Tapia's work bridges critical race theory and labor practices, emphasizing inclusive organizing and confronting systemic inequalities.

Education:

• PhD, Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University (2013)
• Visiting PhD Candidate, MIT Sloan School of Management (2011–2013)
• MAs from Cornell (2009), University of Parma (2005), and B.A. in Law from University of Ghent (2004)

Research Interests:

Tapia investigates labor movements, worker mobilization, and the intersection of race, migration, and employment. Her work critiques systemic inequalities, explores union revitalization strategies, and documents racialized labor practices in global corporations like Amazon. Recent studies analyze surveillance in warehouses, solidarity across atypical workers, and the role of storytelling in labor narratives.

Awards:

• 2021: Luis Aparicio Prize (ILERA)
• 2019: John T. Dunlop Award (LERA)
• 2022: Tomlanovich Equity Award (MSU)

Grants and Initiatives:

Tapia leads projects funded by OXFAM, the MidMichigan Poverty Network, and the Center for Innovative Worker Organizing. She collaborates on studies of Amazon workers in Alabama and North Carolina, and co-edited volumes like A Racial Reckoning in Industrial Relations (2022). Teaching focuses on international HRM, comparative employment systems, and labor relations.

Professional Contributions:

Tapia chairs MSU's SHRLR PhD program and serves on LERA's Executive Board. She advises PhD students Salil Sapre and Carla Lima and contributes to labor policy debates globally, including presentations at ILERA and SASE conferences.