Rodriguez's research interests are in the areas of the state and globalization; labor and
labor movements; migration, trans/nationalisms and citizenship; the intersections of
race, class, and gender.

Her book, "Brokering Bodies:  The Philippine State and the Globalization of Migrant
Labor" is forthcoming from the University of Minnesota Press. Based on ethnographic research of the Philippines' transnational migration apparatus, the book critically
examines how the Philippine state has emerged as a "labor brokerage state" that produces, distributes and regulates gendered and racialized migrant workers globally. She argues that the "labor brokerage" state is a new form of neoliberal state that offers a kind of institutional ?fix? resolving global capital?s demand for labor and neoliberalizing labor-importing states? demand for temporary migrants who will not make claims for
membership and will return to their countries of origin once their jobs are done.  Labor
brokerage systems can operate therefore at the convenience of global employers and host states: employers need not assume liability for labor law violations by employing
?illegal? workers and labor-receiving states can be assured of authorized temporary
workers who are ultimately tethered to their home countries.

Rodriguez's is currently working on a second book manuscript entitled, "In Lady Liberty's
Shadow: Immigration and Belonging in New Jersey after 9/11" This book examines the
politics of immigration as it has been debated and contested by New Jersey residents,
both native and foreign-born, in towns and muncipalities across the state.

Her research for both of these projects has been published in Citizenship Studies, The
Sociological Forum, Signs, and the Peace Review.

Links to organizations and projects Prof. Rodriguez is actively involved in:

*Institute for Research on Women (Rutgers) http://irw.rutgers.edu/
*Center for Race and Ethnicity (Rutgers) http://raceethnicity.rutgers.edu/
*Collective for Asian American Studies(Rutgers)--no website available
*Columbia University Women and Society Seminar: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/seminars/seminars/society/seminar-folder/women-society.html
*International Sociological Association, Research Committee on Labor Movements (RC44): http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/globallabour/rc44/
*Association for Asian American Studies: http://www.aaastudies.org/index.tpl
*SIGNS: Journal of Women and Culture in
Society--http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/Signs/home.html
*Critical Filipino and Filipina Studies Collective: http://cffsc.focusnow.org.