Tobias Higbie

Tobias Higbie is a Professor of History and Labor Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and serves as Director of the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment. His work examines intersections between labor history, migration, and social movements in the United States, with a focus on working-class intellectual traditions, informal education networks, and transnational labor organizing.

• Field of Study: United States social history, labor and working-class history, digital humanities, public history
• Current Research: Transformation of U.S. labor unions in the late 20th century, new immigrant integration
• Key Publications: Labor’s Mind, Indispensable Outcasts

Higbie’s recent scholarship explores digital history methodologies and archival preservation through projects like the Frontier to Heartland online exhibit. His research combines traditional archival work with oral histories and community-based collaborations.

Scientific Awards & Grants:

• Best Article Prize, Labor vol. 10 (2013)
• Allan Sharlin Memorial Award (2004)
• Philip Taft Labor History Book Award (2004)

As Director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Higbie facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations between historians, labor organizers, and policy researchers. His teaching spans U.S. history, migration studies, and digital history methods. Affiliations include the UCLA Faculty Association and the American Federation of Teachers, University Council (AFL-CIO).