Researcher asks: “How generous are the Brits ”
A University of Manchester sociologist is to conduct a ground breaking study of generosity in contemporary Britain. Professor Yaojun Li from the School of Social Sciences will be the only UK researcher to take part in the US based Science of Generosity Initiative. The Indiana based University of Notre Dame awarded £884,000 to nine research projects - eight of which are based in America- on the origin, manifestations and consequences of generosity. Professor Li will analyse the annual UK Citizenship Survey between 2001 - 2010, the most authoritative data set in Britain. They will explore the relationship between charitable giving, civic volunteering and informal helping, areas relevant to the Government's Big Society agenda. They will also examine the forces shaping people's generosity, and the consequences of generous dispositions and practices on people's well-being, trust and political participation. Professor Li said: "This study should deepen our understanding of factors that either promote or reduce British generosity and help us inform policy-making that aims to build a more hospitable Britain.
