Dr. Samuel P. Oliner (1930-2021)

Sam Oliner

Dr. Samuel P. Oliner (Ph.D., University of California - Berkeley) was a Professor of Sociology at Cal Poly Humboldt and Founder of the Altruistic Personality and Prosocial Behavior Institute. He authored many publications on the Holocaust, altruism, prosocial behavior, and race/ethnic relations in national and international contexts. He appeared on numerous television shows and lectured widely in the U.S. and several other countries on the topic of rescuers of Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe. Dr. Oliner died in November, 2021.

His books include

  • What Kind of Future Will Our Children Inherit? (Humboldt State Press, 2021)
  • Altruism Intergroup Apology, Forgiveness, Reconciliation (Paragon House, 2008, Sam Oliner with assistance by Piotr Olaf Zylicz)
  • Narrow Escapes: Childhood Memories of the Holocaust and Their Legacy, (St. Paul, MN 2000)
  • Who Shall Live: The Wilhelm Bachner Story (Chicago: Academy Publishers, 1996, co-author Kathleen Lee)
  • Toward a Caring Society: Ideas Into Action (Wesport, Conn: Praeger, 1995, co-author Pearl M. Oliner)
  • Restless Memories: Recollections of the Holocaust Years (Berkeley, CA: Judah L. Magnes Museum, 1979, 1986)
  • The Altruistic Personality: Rescuers of Jews in Nazi Europe (New York: Free Press 1988, co-author, Pearl M. Oliner).

His co-edited works include

  • Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: A Global Perspective (Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 1997, co-editor Phillip T. Gay)
  • Embracing the Other: Philosophical, Psychological and Historical Perspectives on Altruism (New York: New York University Press, 1993, editor, Pearl M. Oliner, Samuel P. Oliner, Lawrence Baron, Lawrence A. Blum, Dennis L. Krebs, and M. Zuzanna Smolenska).

Dr. Oliner conducted extensive research mapping out definitions of altruism. Highlights of this work are featured here.