The Economy of Generous Practices

Students: Areli Villasenor Garcia, Luke Hurley, Jay Elliot Rogers

Faculty Mentor: Deborah Peterniti

Sociology

College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts

This project explores the everyday experiences and emotional expectations of individuals engaged in acts of generosity. It highlights how economic inequality and social bonds shape the "generous economy," and how givers often have implicit expectations of receiving emotional satisfaction or gratitude in return, even if they claim not to expect anything. The study used in-depth interviews and grounded theory to uncover meaningful themes around the reciprocal nature of generosity and the sense of moral debt that can arise.