Boston College. Center on Wealth and Philanthropy
Dates
- Usage: 2005 - 2015
- Usage: 1979 - 2005
- Usage: 1970 - 1979
Historical Note
The Regional Research Institute in Social Welfare (RRISW) was established at Boston College in 1970 by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare as one of seven regional centers aimed at decentralizing welfare research. Initially a collaboration among the Institute of Human Services, the Department of Sociology, the School of Social Work, and the School of Law, it focused on employment-related welfare policy. Demetrius Iatridis served as Project Director, with Martin Lowenthal as Research Director.
Following the dissolution of the Institute of Human Services in 1973, RRISW transitioned into a university-affiliated research unit. In 1979, it was renamed the Social Welfare Research Institute (SWRI), reflecting the end of its federal sponsorship and a broader research agenda. It launched significant initiatives in the 1980s, including the Multi-Regional Policy Impact Simulator (MRPIS).
A major shift occurred in 1984 when Paul G. Schervish, a sociologist with training in economics, philosophy, and theology, became Director. With support from alumnus Thomas Murphy ’51 and in partnership with John Havens, Schervish expanded the Institute’s mission to explore the moral and spiritual dimensions of wealth and philanthropy. In recognition of this new focus, the Institute was renamed the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy (CWP).
Under Schervish’s leadership, CWP became a nationally recognized research center supported by major philanthropic organizations. Its work illuminated how affluence shapes values, charitable behavior, and human fulfillment, elevating Boston College’s national research profile.
The Center closed in 2015, concluding more than four decades of interdisciplinary inquiry into the social and spiritual meaning of wealth.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Social Welfare Research Institute Records
Composed of correspondence, memoranda, reports, publications and other materials of the Social Welfare Research Institute. Some of the material relates to the Aid for Families with Dependent Children Program. Includes correspondence and other materials of directors Barry Bluestone and Paul Schervish, as well as letters of the Institute of Human Services and the Office of Research Administration at Boston College.
Collection is closed.