Ken Kolb, PhD
Community-based researcher & public policy scholar
About Ken Kolb, PhD
Ken Kolb, PhD, is a professor and chair of sociology at Furman University in Greenville, SC
Ken Kolb is an expert on social inequality, community development, and pragmatic solutions to persistent social problems.
For the past 20 years, Kolb has been conducting community-based research, analyzing social problems with the goal of proposing practical solutions that harness readily available resources.
His first book, Moral Wages: The Emotional Dilemmas of Victim Advocacy and Counseling, was published in 2014, and his second book, Retail Inequality: Reframing the Food Desert Debate, was published in 2022.
Ken is passionate about engaging in meaningful, fact-based research that informs smart and equitable policy decisions.
Advancing Policy Through Community Engagement
In his two decades of experience designing and leading community-engaged, policy-driven research, Dr. Ken Kolb, PhD brings a rare blend of scholarly rigor and real-world impact. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and two award-winning books, translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for the public.
Kolb’s work spans quantitative and qualitative research, securing $185,000 in funding over the past two years to produce timely, public-facing reports that inform decision-makers and empower communities. A dedicated mentor and leader, he has guided students, staff, and faculty alike, helping the next generation of researchers thrive.
In collaboration with journalists and civic leaders, Kolb provides the analysis needed to understand emerging trends and shape policy that works for people.
Awards, Recognitions & Memberships
-
Finalist for the 2023 Media Award (Food Issues and Advocacy category) by the James Beard Foundation for Retail Inequality: Reframing the Food Desert Debate.
-
-
Winner of the ASFS 2023 book award
-
2022: Honorable Mention, book award for studies in consumers and consumption
2015: Book award for studies in social psychology
-
-
-
Recent Work
-
![]()
Placing Furman
This project began when a faculty member found a racially restrictive covenant (RRC) written by a former chair of the Board of Trustees, Alester G. Furman, Jr.
-
![]()
Sterling Neighborhood Study
Greenville, SC | Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities and Dr. Ken Kolb, Furman University
-
![]()
Racial Displacement in Greenville, SC
An exploration of historic and current population shifts in the City of Greenville and surrounding Greenville County
-
![]()
"Who gets to be 'revitalized' in Greenville? How and why Furman studied racial displacement"
Greenville News
-
![]()
"Gentrification and Affordable Housing Challenges in Greenville County"
“Simple Civics” podcast episode #34 with Travis Wharton
-
![]()
"The Checkout": Ken Kolb on Retail Inequality
“The Checkout” podcast episode #143 with Errol Schweizer
-
![]()
"Invest in customers first. Stores will follow."
Opinion piece in The Washington Post
-
![]()
"Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store"
NPR
Books by Ken Kolb, PhD
-
Retail Inequality: Reframing the Food Desert Debate
Retail Inequality examines the failure of recent efforts to improve Americans' diets by increasing access to healthy food. But the battle over food deserts was never about food—it was about equality.
-
Moral Wages: The Emotional Dilemmas of Victim Advocacy and Counseling
Moral Wages offers the reader a vivid depiction of what it is like to work inside an agency that assists victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
