Shai M. Dromi

Shai M. Dromi is Associate Senior Lecturer on Sociology at Harvard University, specializing in the intersections of moral frameworks, knowledge production, and sociological theory. He serves as Treasurer of the Social Science History Association and incoming Chair of the ASA Section on Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity. His research investigates how moral claims shape public life through three core themes: (1) Contested harm narratives in academic and humanitarian contexts, (2) Pluralistic approaches to sociological morality, and (3) Canon debates as moral battlegrounds.

• Key Books
  • Moral Minefields: How Sociologists Debate Good Science (2023, with Samuel Stabler)
  • Above the Fray: The Red Cross and the Making of the Humanitarian NGO Sector (2020)
  • Co-editor of Handbook of the Sociology of Morality, Vol. 2 (2023)
• Teaching
  • Courses on nonprofit organizations, humanitarian aid, cultural sociology, and sociological theory

Research Themes

Dromi's scholarly work spans pragmatic sociology, humanitarian NGO development, and moral pluralism in academic discourse. His 2022 Theory & Society article examines how moral logics shape institutional practices through comparative bird conservation studies, while the 2019 ASA Honorable Mention paper analyzes moral communication in sociological methodology.

Scientific Awards

• 2018: ASA Outstanding Published Article Award for 'Advertising Morality'
• 2020: ASA Honorable Mention for 'Good on Paper'