Ken Kolb

Ken Kolb is a Professor and Chair of the Sociology Department at Furman University in Greenville, SC. His work focuses on social inequality, community development, and applying research to inform equitable policy decisions. Kolb holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. from the same institution, and a B.A. from Bates College.

His research emphasizes community-based approaches, aiming to empower marginalized groups through data-driven advocacy. Notable contributions include Retail Inequality: Reframing the Food Desert Debate (2022), which won multiple awards, and Moral Wages: The Emotional Dilemmas of Victim Advocacy and Counseling (2014). Recent projects explore racial displacement in Greenville and the Mississippi River’s economic dynamics.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • M.A. in Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • B.A., Bates College

Kolb’s honors include a 2023 James Beard Foundation Award Finalist status and the 2023 Association for the Study of Food and Society Book Prize. He serves as Chair of the South Carolina Chapter of the Scholars Strategy Network and a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Food Leaders Fellowship.

His professional activities include membership in the Food Tank Academic Working Group and the South Carolina Food Policy Council. Recent public engagement includes co-authoring Greenville News articles on racial displacement and podcast discussions on gentrification and food inequality.