Biography

Michael is currently a doctoral candidate of legal sociology at the University of Coimbra, the oldest institution of higher education in the Portuguese-speaking world. He obtained his master's degree from the London School of Economics (LSE) with a concentration in diplomatic history. He graduated magna cum laude from the George Washington University with a bachelor's degree in international relations. His current work investigates how investment migration regimes (Golden Visas) and the growing commodification of European citizenship are transforming contemporary liberal social contracts. His doctoral project, which is comparative in nature, analyzes the cases of Portugal and the United States, exploring the global inequalities that determine who can move freely and who remains excluded from mobility schemes. His research interests include global migration, capitalism and citizenship, law and inequality, and critical theories of the state. Previously as an undergraduate student, he delved into questions pertaining to nationalism, right-wing extremism, identity politics, and political and social cleavages within EU member states.