Brains Over Brew - What Americans Really Think About Immigration

Why do some Americans welcome newcomers while others feel threatened by them? In this talk, sociologist Dr. Liza G. Steele unpacks what years of research reveal about public attitudes toward immigrants and refugees, with a special look at New York City, where migration and identity intersect most visibly. Drawing on recent survey experiments and local fieldwork, she’ll explore how fear, empathy, politics, and place shape people’s views — and what that means for cities trying to stay open, diverse, and fair.