Margaret Harris
Margaret is Visiting Professor at Birkbeck, University of London; Emeritus Professor of Voluntary Sector Organisation at Aston University; and Academic Adviser to IVAR. Before moving to Aston University in 1999, she was Assistant Director of the Centre for Voluntary Organisation at the London School of Economics. Her earlier career included work as an administrator and researcher in local government and as a volunteer adviser with Citizens Advice. Within IVAR, Margaret provides advice to staff, associates and board members on third sector specialist matters, theories and research practice. She also leads on some research projects.
Since the 1980s Margaret has been conducting and managing collaborative research with numerous national and local voluntary agencies and published articles in academic and professional journals on a range of topics, including voluntary governing bodies (boards); the impact of public policy on the voluntary sector; the management of volunteers; organisational change; action research; corporate social responsibility; and the work of congregations and other faith based organistions. Her current work focuses on bridge-building groups working at the grassroots to bring people together across faith and ethnic boundaries. She is the author of "Organising God's Work: Challenges for Churches and Synagogues" (Macmillan, 1998) and editor (with David Billis) of "Voluntary Agencies; Challenges of Organisation and Management" (Macmillan, 1996) and (with Colin Rochester) of "Voluntary Organisations and Social Policy in Britain: Perspectives on Change and Choice" (Palgrave, 2000).
