I am a cultural and comparative-historical sociologist with research on international humanitarian organizations and movements, transnational advocacy, and organizational and political culture. My research looks at how global organizations and movements emerge, at their international dynamics, and at their interface with nationally-specific institutions and culture. In addition, I look at how organizations, professions, and groups generate beliefs about the common good, and how those beliefs translate into concrete institutional arrangements

I am currently writing a book called The Religious Roots of Transnational Relief: Calvinism, Humanitarianism, and the Genesis of Social Fields, which is under advance contract at the University of Chicago Press. This project examines the origins and development of the humanitarian NGO sector. In addition, I am working on articles on how professional groups evaluate the worth of their work, and on how political groups respond to downward mobility.

My work has appeared in journals like Sociological Theory and Theory & Society, and received the Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity Outstanding Published Article Award, the Global and Transnational Sociology Best Graduate Student Paper Award and an honorable mention for the Theda Skocpol Best Dissertation Award from the American Sociological Association, as well as the Marvin B. Sussman Prize from Yale University.

I am currently a College Fellow at the Department of Sociology at Harvard University, where I teach courses on humanitarian NGOs, nonprofit organizations, and civil society. You can read here about my research, publications, teaching, and service. Contact me at shai.dromi@g.harvard.edu.