Expertise
Dr. Sarabia's research focuses on globalization processes such as global stratification, borders and borderlands, transnational social change, and immigrant adaptation and incorporation in the U.S., and higher education.
Dr. Sarabia's research has been shaped by her experiences as an immigrant from Mexico living in the U.S.A. Four themes summarize her research agenda.
First, she is interested on globalization and transnationalism. Specifically, she studies global inequality and how visas and passports shape stratification, as well as how individuals and organizations mobilize collectively to create societal change to challenge inequality and demand justice across borders.
Second, related to the issue of stratification, she is interested in particular in illegality as a regime, and how it shapes border crossing practices and life in the U.S.
Third, her research interests also include the process of immigrant adaptation and incorporation into the U.S. social fabric, access to legal and medical institutions, and the role legal status plays in these processes.
Finally, she is interested in the educational experiences among Latinx, undocumented/DACAmented, and first-generation college students in higher education, with a focus on experiences among Chicanx/Latinx Students and Faculty at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs); and alumni trajectories and engagement post-graduation.