Marlou Ramaekers

Marlou Ramaekers is a Researcher and Data Manager at the Centre for Philanthropic Studies, Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She holds a PhD from Radboud University (2024) focusing on the impact of social environments on informal helping behaviors. Her current roles involve managing the biennal Giving in the Netherlands study and coordinating the Giving in the Netherlands Panel Study (GINPS). She also contributed to making the Corporate Giving in the Netherlands dataset publicly available.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology (2018–2023), Radboud University Nijmegen
• Master’s in Social and Cultural Sciences (2016–2018), Radboud University Nijmegen
• Bachelor’s in Sociology (2013–2016), Radboud University Nijmegen

Her research focuses on informal helping behaviors, social networks, and philanthropy. Key themes include neighbor relationships, reciprocity dynamics, and the role of socialization in prosocial behaviors. She has explored topics such as pandemic impacts on informal help provision and the effects of divorce on helping networks.

Grants and Collaborations: She contributed to the Dutch Social and Cultural Developments-COVID-19 panel survey and collaborated with institutions like the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS). Her work bridges sociological theory with practical data management, emphasizing policy-relevant insights.

Labs/Teams: Centre for Philanthropic Studies at VU Amsterdam.