About the Book
Philanthropy is both timeless and timely. Ancient Romans, Medieval aristocrats, and Victorian industrialists engaged in philanthropy, as do modern-day Chinese billionaires, South African activists, and Brazilian nuns. Today, philanthropic practice is evolving faster than ever before, with donors giving their time, talents, and social capital in creative new ways and in combination with their financial resources. These developments are generating complex new debates and adding new twists to enduring questions, from "why be philanthropic?" to "what does it mean to do philanthropy ‘better’?" Addressing such questions requires greater understanding of the contested purpose and diverse practice of philanthropy.
With an international and interdisciplinary focus, The Philanthropy Reader serves as a one-stop resource that brings together essential and engaging extracts from key texts and major thinkers, and frames these in a way that captures the historical development, core concepts, perennial debates, global reach, and recent trends of this field. The book includes almost 100 seminal and illuminating writings about philanthropy, equipping readers with the guiding material they need to better grasp such a crucial yet complex and evolving topic. Additional readings and discussion questions also accompany the text as online supplements.
This text will be essential reading for students on philanthropy courses worldwide, and will also be of interest to anyone active in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors — from donors and grantmakers, to advisers and fundraisers.
Table of Contents:
Section I: What is Philanthropy? 1. Why Philanthropy Matters 2. Contested Definitions of Philanthropy 3. Different Lenses for Studying and Explaining Philanthropy 4. The Balance of Public and Private in Philanthropy Section II: Philanthropy Across Time and Place 5. Complex History 6. Contested History 7. Continuity and Change Across Eras 8. The Role of Religion, Race, Gender, and Geography Section III: Being a Philanthropist – Callings and Critiques 9. Why Should People Give – Religious and Secular Calls 10. Why Do Wealthy People Give – Elite Donor Statements 11. Critiques of Elite Donors 12. Philanthropy Versus the Alternatives Section IV: Philanthropists and Beneficiaries – A Complex Relationship 13. Giving and Receiving 14. Philanthropy as a Type of Gift 15. When Philanthropic Gifts Go Wrong 16. Being a Giver, Being a Recipient 17. What is the Right Relationship Between Those Who Give and Those Who Get? Section V: Philanthropic Practices and Institutions 18. The Practice of Asking, The Practice of Granting 19. Foundations – Roles and Critiques 20. Should Corporations Give? 21. New Methods and Blurring Boundaries Section VI: Debates About Making Philanthropy Better 22. On Philanthropic Decision Making 23. How Do We Know If Philanthropy Does Any Good? 24. New – Or Not So New – Ways of Improving Philanthropy 25. Is "Being Effective" the Only Worthwhile Yardstick?
About the Author :
Michael Moody is Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University, USA. He is co-author of Understanding Philanthropy: Its Meaning and Mission and writes and speaks about philanthropy, donors, and giving to both scholarly and practitioner audiences.
Beth Breeze worked as a fundraiser and charity manager before founding the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, UK, where she now conducts research and teaching on philanthropy and fundraising. She produces the annual Million Pound Donor Report and co-authored Richer Lives: why rich people give.
Review :
'The Philanthropy Reader is a significant addition to the growing body of knowledge about the theory and practice of effective giving. In one volume, readers can now find the full range of ideas that have shaped the field in recent decades by some of the field’s most interesting and provocative thought leaders. This book is at once a great place to start for newcomers to philanthropy, a compelling resource for scholars and teachers, and a place where practitioners can find the concepts and frameworks they need to raise their quality of their giving.' - Professor Peter Frumkin, Faculty Director, Center for Social Impact Strategy, University of Pennsylvania, USA
'This reader is the number one address for anyone who wants to get familiar with the study of philanthropy. The editors have compiled the most comprehensive and systematic collection of major contributions to date – highly recommended to practitioners, students and scholars.' - Professor Helmut Anheier, Dean, Hertie School of Governance, Germany
'As an accessible and concise collection of key texts on "elite philanthropy" offering global insights into monetary giving by donors and institutions, this reader is an invaluable and timely reference point for scholars on the African continent as "African philanthropy" and "philanthropy in Africa" is on the horizon as a multidisciplinary field of study at the university level.' - Susan Wilkinson-Maposa, University of Cape Town, South Africa and author of The Poor philanthropist: how and why the poor help each other
‘Michael Moody and Beth Breeze travel widely across time and space in this one-of-a-kind reader on the art of giving and its consequences for our lives. They artfully balance policy proposals with philosophical considerations and historical accounts, and they give voice to critics as well as advocates of philanthropy. A must have!' - Olivier Zunz, Commonwealth Professor, University of Virginia, USA and author of Philanthropy in America
'A much-needed selection, this is a treasury of perspective amidst the blur of daily declarations of disruption. Ably curated by two leaders in our field, this is bound to be a standard resource for students and practitioners.' - Amir Pasic, Dean, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, USA
'An invaluable and comprehensive resource for every student and practitioner with an interest in philanthropy.' - Johanna Mair, Professor, Hertie School of Governance, Germany, Visiting Scholar, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, USA and Academic Editor of Stanford Social Innovation Review
'A trove of ideas, debates, findings and recommendations for the study, practice and policy of philanthropy, this marvelous collection of essential essays will guide students of philanthropy for generations to come.' - Professor René Bekkers, Head of Research, Department of Philanthropic Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
