Sociologist combines research and creative writing to explore migration and identity

Blending research and art, Carlo Charles draws on his Haitian upbringing to explore the intersection of international migration, race, gender, and sexuality.

The assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology pursued his studies in Venezuela, France, and Canada, earning dual PhDs in sociology and geography. Dr. Charles has worked with influential research centres and served as a public policy advisor, contributing to discussions on Haiti's crises and immigrant communities.

His current book project examines how queer men in Haiti form transnational relationships with Haitian queer immigrants and the impact on Haiti. His work as a playwright also brings research-based insights to wider audiences through creative writing.

DailyNews will showcase the contributions and insights of members of the Black Scholars Institute leading up to its official launch on Sept. 26 and connected with Charles to discuss his research goals and experiences.

Q: Tell us about your research interests and what projects you'd like to pursue at UWindsor.

A: I am a sociologist, playwright, and public policy advisor. My research program examines how international migration, capitalism, race, ethnicity, gender, sexualities, and transnational space intersect to impact the lived experiences and outcomes of migrants and non-migrants in the Caribbean, the Americas, and Europe from an intersectional and decolonial perspective.

Specifically, I study: (1) how international migration from the Caribbean creates socio-economic inequality between those who migrate to wealthier countries and those who remain in their homeland; (2) how race, ethnicity, gender, and sexualities intersect to affect cross-border relationships between migrants and non-migrants in the Caribbean; and (3) how transnational social space shapes political relationships between Caribbean migrants and non-migrants over time.

For my current book project, I use qualitative mixed-method approaches and theoretical frameworks from various disciplines to examine how queer men in Haiti form and sustain transnational relationships with Haitian queer immigrants in Canada, the United States, France, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, and the impacts of these relationships on Haiti. Visit my departmental website for more information about my research.

As a playwright, I use creative writing to share knowledge with audiences outside academia. In 2022, I co-authored the play Kap O Mond! with Alice Carré. It opened in Paris at l'Échangeur Theatre and has since been produced in various theatres across France. Kap O Mond! addresses contemporary Haitian migration issues in France and French humanitarianism in Haiti. I use my background in sociology and geography to show how global issues, such as colonialism, global capitalism, and the North-South divide, affect everyday decisions in both the Global North and South. In 2022, I also co-developed the script for the film documentary Pigs to the Slaughter with Mark Osmond, analyzing how race, ethnicity, sexuality, socio-economic status, and online technology intersect to shape the latest cryptocurrency romance scams. This fall, I am launching my first manga on homosexuality in Haiti.

Q: Can you share a bit about your academic journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in sociology?

A: My academic journey began with my family in Haiti, where I grew up. My parents emphasized the value of education in changing one's life. In Haiti's context of socioeconomic precarity and political instability, education is seen as a means to achieve upward social and economic mobility. Their sacrifices to provide my siblings and me with the best education possible motivated me to move to Venezuela, France, and Canada for higher education after completing high school in Haiti.

In Venezuela, I started studying medicine and psychology but switched majors to complete a teaching certificate and become a full-time French teacher at l'Alliance Française de Caracas. After President Hugo Chávez's death and amid a severe humanitarian crisis, I moved to France to complete two bachelor's degrees in sociology and psychology at the Université Lumière Lyon II. While there, I worked on multiple projects as a research assistant in France, the U.K., and India.

In my final year of undergrad, I joined the Africa-France Solidaires NGO for its EU-funded mission of international solidarity and development in Cameroon, which significantly influenced my decision to pursue graduate studies. I won the Explo'Ra Sup Grant at Université Lumière Lyon II to complete my master's degree in sociology as an exchange student at York University in Toronto. At York, I also completed a graduate diploma in migration and refugee studies, which motivated me to pursue dual PhDs at McMaster University and CNRS-Université des Antilles. Under the supervision of leading migration scholars Dr. Vic Satzewich (McMaster University) and Dr. Cédric Audebert (CNRS), I completed PhDs in sociology and geography and received several awards, including the SSHRC-Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, France-Canada Research Fund, Outstanding Graduating Sociology Student Award by the Canadian Sociological Association, and the CNRS Foundation Prize for Best PhD Thesis at Université des Antilles.

This journey led me to my position as an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Windsor last year. Here, I have found an incredibly supportive group of colleagues and staff. I am excited to draw on my Canadian and international experience to teach and mentor students while collaborating with colleagues.

Q: What led you to become a part of the University of Windsor's Black Scholars Institute?

A: I joined the Black Scholars Institute to contribute to research, teaching, and community-building among Black faculty, students, and staff. As a collaborative researcher, I believe better research emerges when scholars integrate diverse theoretical perspectives and methods. I have collaborated with researchers in Canada, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Latin America. As a graduate student, I was involved with influential research centres such as York University's Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean, Centre for Refugee Studies, the Harriett Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diaspora, the University of Toronto's Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexuality Studies, France's National Centre for Scientific Research, French Collaborative Institute on Migrations, and Université des Antilles' Social Science Research Laboratory. I have also held visiting scholar positions at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Concordia University's Digital Intimacy, Gender, and Sexuality Lab. I joined the Black Scholars Institute to leverage my research experiences and fluency in five languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole) to advance the institute's goals and mission.

Q: Could you explain the significance of your work and research interests?

A: My research is among the first in the social sciences and humanities to empirically demonstrate how sexuality shapes intimate transnational relationships among queer migrants and non-migrants. My research contributes in two ways. First, it shifts the focus from queer immigrants' experiences in host societies to the perspectives of queer non-migrants - those who remain in their homeland. This shift enhances our understanding of how queer non-migrants perceive immigrants and diasporic communities and why they engage in transnational relationships with migrants.

Second, it centres on the lived experiences of Black queer participants in the Caribbean to examine how race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic inequality intersect to shape their intimate transnational relationships with queer immigrants in various countries. By focusing on non-migrants, my ethnographic research sheds light on how homosexuality influences the flow of remittances from rich to poor nations, examining how Black gay migrants' remittances create an underground queer community, culture, and economy connecting queer men in Haiti with those across the Haitian diaspora.

Q: What do you believe are some of the most pressing challenges in your field today?

A:

a. Anti-immigrant sentiment and politics: Recent years have seen a resurgence of anti-immigrant sentiment through reactionary politics in Europe and the Americas, often targeting non-White migrants. These politics challenge the fundamental right of people of colour to move across borders in pursuit of better lives. Meanwhile, elite migrants with powerful passports and resources can easily move capital across borders. This contrast highlights the need to examine how anti-immigrant sentiment affects marginalized populations.

b. Growing socioeconomic inequalities: Socioeconomic disparities between those who can migrate and those who cannot contribute to marginalization and exclusion. More research is needed to find solutions to reduce these inequalities.

c. Climate change and conflicts: Climate change and wars have intensified displacement across borders, creating significant challenges for individuals, families, governments, and diasporic communities. Solutions are needed to address the growing migration resulting from these factors.

d. Homophobia: Homophobia continues to impact the migration and integration of LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide. Further research is needed to understand how homophobia pushes people out of their families, communities, and countries, and to explore ways to address this issue.

Q: In what ways do you hope your research and work will influence policy?

A: As a researcher of social issues, I am committed to transformative research that directly contributes to policy and practice. My experience as a public policy advisor includes serving on the Toronto City Council's Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee for four years. Recently, I have used my ethnographic research in Haiti to advise governments on solutions to Haiti's political, humanitarian, and criminal gang crises. My public policy work has included publishing op-eds and giving interviews to mainstream media such as The Conversation, Policy Options, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, CBC News, The National Post, Radio France Internationale, BFM-TV, and M6, among others. I hope my forthcoming book on Haitian queer transnational relationships and my art projects will influence how ordinary citizens and policymakers understand and address queer migration and its implications.

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