Mark R. Warren is a sociologist concerned with the revitalization of American democratic and community life. He studies efforts to strengthen institutions that anchor inner city communities—churches, schools, and other community-based organizations — and to build broad-based alliances among these institutions and across race and social class. Warren is interested in the development of community leaders through involvement in multiracial political action as well as the outcomes of such efforts in fostering community development, social justice, and school transformation; and is committed to using the results of scholarly research to advance democratic practice.

Warren is the author of several books, including Fire in the Heart: How White Activists Embrace Racial Justice and Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy, a book on the Texas/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation, the nation’s most prominent faith-based community organizing network. He is coeditor of a book on social capital-based strategies for combating poverty called Social Capital and Poor Communities. Warren also published a lead article in the Harvard Educational Review on the relationship between community development and school improvement, entitled “Communities and Schools: A New View of Urban Education Reform.” He currently codirects a large scale study of community organizing efforts at school reform and educational justice in six localities across the country.

Warren is also an active member of the community at the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University. He works with college students through his membership on the board of the Phillips Brooks House Association, Harvard College’s student-led community service/action network.

Degrees

• Ph.D., Harvard University