“I want people to understand that migration is a core fact of human existence, just like birth and death. People have moved since the beginning of time. We need to think about how to shape migration for everyone’s benefit rather than focusing on the futile task of trying to stop it,” explains Hannah Postel, one of Sanford’s new faculty members.
Migration expertise formed by childhood adventures
Postel's journey to becoming a leading voice in migration and public policy is a testament to her diverse background and unwavering dedication to understanding the intricacies of human mobility. Growing up in Madison, Wisconsin, with a mother working at the University of Wisconsin’s veterinary school and a father running an investment banking firm focused on emerging markets, Postel was introduced to the world of academic inquiry and global economic dynamics. Her parents, who emphasized the importance of exploration, offered her a unique perspective on different cultures and places through world travel. “I got to see a lot of different places when I was quite young. I bet I was one of the only American 5-year-olds to visit Tunisia!” she reminisces. This early exposure to diversity shaped her understanding of migration and its impact on individuals and societies.
“Into my teens, I attended and taught at the amazing Concordia Language Villages, language immersion summer camps in Northern Minnesota. They truly prioritized their motto, ‘creating a world where everyone understands,’ designing lots of social justice programming and encouraging kids to think about a just and peaceful world,” explains Postel.
An individual story spurs an international education
Despite that global focus, a local encounter in Madison remains at the core of her academic origins.
During an intense snowstorm in high school, Postel found herself discussing the treacherous options for traversing the blizzard with her coworker. The Mexican woman explained that she was nervous to drive home not because of the physical danger but rather because of her status as an immigrant still seeking citizenship. “If anything happens, I’ll get deported,” the coworker worried. This was an eye-opening moment for Postel.
“That fear had not even crossed my mind, and it threw my privilege and the precarity faced by undocumented immigrants into harsh relief,” Postel explains.
These lessons in equality influenced her academic pursuits. She majored in international politics and economics at Middlebury College in Vermont while studying Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. Her undergraduate years were marked by internships that spanned various policy realms, from microfinance to foreign affairs, culminating in a stint at the US Consulate in Chengdu, China. This eclectic mix of experiences fueled her interest in migration, prompting her to undertake independent research projects and lay the groundwork for her future academic career. Immediately after graduating, Postel spent a year in Zambia on a Fulbright research grant studying the country’s Chinese migrant community. She describes this work as a “fork in the road” towards choosing a more research-focused career.
“What fascinates me about migration is that it marries the personal and the structural. At the same time, migration is a choice individuals make about how to improve their own and their families’ lives or mitigate challenges they face, but it is also nearly fully regulated by national and international law. There’s an interesting tension there and an opportunity to study this issue from multiple different perspectives (as well as attempt to make a change for both individuals and countries).”
Sanford is the beginning of a new chapter in migration policy research
For Postel, this new role is not just a job but a continuation of her lifelong dedication to shedding light on the humanity and significance of immigrants worldwide.
“I am a social demographer focused on migration. My first line of research investigates the causes and consequences of historical immigration restrictions in the United States, including their lasting effects on residential segregation and racial formation. The second examines the relationship between economic development and migration in the Global South,” Postel detailed.
Now an incoming Assistant Professor at Sanford, Postel is excited to join a community that values and actively encourages interdisciplinary research. Sanford's unique blend of international development, demography, and migration studies aligns perfectly with her research interests and professional goals.
Postel’s research aims to shift the narrative around migration, emphasizing its role as a fundamental aspect of human existence and advocating for policies that harness its benefits rather than attempting to curb it.
Her historical expertise, particularly on the Chinese Exclusion laws beginning in the late 19th century, provides valuable insights into the long-lasting impacts of immigration policies and their modern-day implications. Her research combats many widespread myths about immigration (e.g., that excluding immigrants will improve labor conditions for US-born workers) in hopes of creating more evidence-based policy. Her focus on non-white immigrant groups in substantive and methodological work diversifies current understandings of social phenomena historically based on white experiences. As she expands this research at Sanford, Postel hopes to shape a more inclusive and accurate understanding of the effects of immigration policies by developing innovative research methodologies and bringing underrepresented voices to the fore.
Personal interests flourishing with the move to Durham
Beyond her professional pursuits, Postel is an avid cook, singer (most recently with PhilHarmonia in Philadelphia, where she helped premiere this soaring tribute to Philadelphia Flyers mascot “Gritty”), cat mom, and traveler. Her love for spicy food, honed during a summer in Chengdu, and her passion for photography and the outdoors reflect her vibrant personality and multifaceted interests. As she embarks on this new chapter at Sanford, Postel is eager to cultivate a garden in Durham and immerse herself in the local community. Her journey is a compelling blend of personal experiences, academic rigor, and a steadfast commitment to improving migration policy and its broader societal impacts.
For Postel, Sanford feels like a perfect fit.
“Since before starting my PhD, I have wanted to work at a public policy school. I am excited to be at Sanford, which encourages rigorous research and policy engagement. I look forward to working with and learning from amazing scholars within Sanford and across the university (e.g., sociology, economics, law, and history). One of my professional goals is to teach future policymakers to think differently about migration, and I’m excited to do just that at Sanford,” said Postel.