Michael Sherraden

Biography

Michael Sherraden is the founding director of the Center for Social Development (CSD), at Washington University’s Brown School. Sherraden was educated at Harvard (AB, 1970) and the University of Michigan (MSW, 1976; PhD, 1979). Professor Sherraden has played a central role in articulating the notion of asset-based development, which suggests that policy and programs should promote not merely income and consumption, but also savings and investment. Sherraden has received many awards; in 2010 he was named one of Time magazine‘s 100 most influential people in the world. Also awarded to Professor Sherraden are the Distinguished Faculty Award from Washington University (1994) and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Social Work, University of Michigan (2002). His ideas have been presented in “Assets and the Poor: A New American Welfare Policy” (1991), “Alternatives to Social Security: An International Inquiry” (1997, with James Midgley), and “Inclusion in the American Dream: Assets, Poverty, and Public Policy” (2005). Sherraden has also studied, organized international conferences, and helped write legislation for national and community service, efforts that are reflected in “Civic Service Worldwide: Impacts and Inquiry” (2006, with Amanda Moore McBride). In 1992-1993 Sherraden was a Fulbright Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore.