Steven Gold

Steven Gold is a Professor of Sociology at Michigan State University, affiliated with the College of Social Science. He specializes in international migration, ethnic economies, and visual sociology, with a focus on Jewish diaspora communities. Gold has authored/co-authored nine books, including The Israeli Diaspora (2002) and Wandering Jews: Global Jewish Migration (2020). His work has been recognized with awards such as the Thomas and Znaniecki Award and the Distinguished Career Award from the ASA International Migration Section.

Gold earned his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (1985), with prior degrees from UC Santa Cruz and Brandeis University. His research spans migration patterns, ethnic entrepreneurship, and transnational identities. He chaired 23 PhD dissertations and served as Graduate Program Director for 12 years.

His publications explore topics like Israeli emigration to Silicon Valley, Arab American identity through photography, and Vietnamese refugee adaptation. Gold has held visiting roles at the University of Amsterdam and is active in professional associations like the International Visual Sociology Association.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. Sociology, UC Berkeley (1985)
  • M.A. Sociology, UC Berkeley (1980)
  • B.A. Sociology & Psychology, UC Santa Cruz (1977)
  • Brandeis University, 1973–1975

Gold’s research interests include documenting migrant experiences through visual methods and analyzing ethnic economies’ role in community development. His recent work emphasizes global Jewish migration and the intersection of race, class, and entrepreneurship.

• Awards:
  • Thomas and Znaniecki Award (2003)
  • ASA International Migration Section Distinguished Career Award (2019)
  • Charles Horton Cooley Award (2007)

His advising and grants focus on mentoring graduate students and exploring migration’s sociocultural impacts. Gold’s affiliated programs include Jewish Studies, Asian Pacific American Studies, and Chicano Latino Studies at MSU.