Emily Barman

Emily Barman received a B.A. in history and sociology from the University of British Columbia (1991), a MA (1994) and PhD (2002) in sociology from the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on the social organization of altruism and philanthropy. Rather than take it for granted that altruistic giving is the simple and straightforward outcome of individuals’ benevolence, her research probes how social organization can impede or facilitate such giving, structure the direction and patterns of philanthropy, and shape the very goals that nonprofit organizations pursue.  For example, in her book, Contesting Communities (Stanford University Press, 2006) – winner of the 2007 best book award from the National Association of Fundraising Professionals — she shows how society’s changing conceptions of community have fundamentally transformed the goals and practices of workplace charity. She has published in American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Voluntas, and Nonprofit Management and Leadership, as well as other journals and edited volumes.