Maria Aysa-Lastra

Maria Aysa-Lastra is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology at Winthrop University and holds a non-resident affiliate position at ISIM. Her academic work centers on migration dynamics, particularly the causes of migration and the integration processes of international and forced migrants in host societies.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Demography, University of Pennsylvania
• Master's in Public Policy, Georgetown University
• BA in Economics, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México

Her research spans interdisciplinary areas within sociology, demography, and public policy, with a regional focus on Latin America and urban displacement contexts. She investigates how socioeconomic and political factors influence migration decisions and post-migration adaptation, particularly during periods of economic stress such as the Great Recession.

Her recent scholarly contributions include publications in Journal of Refugee Studies, Rural Sociology, and Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas, with a thematic emphasis on refugee integration, family violence, and demographic trends. A key project involves studying internally displaced persons in urban areas of Colombia, reflecting her commitment to understanding forced migration in complex urban settings.

Scientific Contributions:

• Co-edited two-volume work: Immigrant Vulnerability and Resilience: Comparative Perspectives on Latin American Immigrants during the Great Recession (Springer, 2015)
• Published in top-tier journals across sociology, demography, and Latin American studies
• Contributor of multiple book chapters on migration and integration

Maria Aysa-Lastra actively contributes to academic discourse through her research and publications. While no formal advising roles are listed, her scholarly output suggests engagement with graduate students and collaborative research networks. She does not appear to lead a formal lab or research team, but her work is embedded in broader interdisciplinary conversations on migration and urban resilience.