Disruptive philanthropy?

Posted on October 11, 2016 by HistPhil • 2 Comments

Editors’ Note: For this current forum, we have asked the authors of the recently-published volume Philanthropy in Democratic Societies to present synopses of their contributions. Here, Aaron Horvath discusses his chapter on disruptive democracy, which he co-authored with Walter W. Powell. In a June 2015 Wall Street Journal editorial, Sean Parker, of Napster and Facebook fame, advanced a manifesto for the new … Continue reading →

Book Forum on Philanthropy in Democratic Societies / New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Democracy

Why is the History of Philanthropy not a Part of American History?

Posted on October 4, 2016 by HistPhil • 2 Comments

Editors’ Note: We have asked the authors of the recently-published volume Philanthropy in Democratic Societies to present synopses of their contributions. Continuing this forum, Olivier Zunz discusses his chapter on the historical study of philanthropy. If philanthropy were only an activity of the very wealthy, then the historical inquiry could safely center on the democratic legitimacy of large donations. But the debate … Continue reading →

Book Forum on Philanthropy in Democratic Societies / New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Democracy

Designing nonprofits for the digital age: Lessons from the Digital Public Library of America

Posted on October 3, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: For this current forum, we have asked the authors of the recently-published volume Philanthropy in Democratic Societies to present synopses of their contributions. Here, Lucy Bernholz discusses her chapter on the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). The story of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) fits into the volume, Philanthropy in Democratic Societies, as an illustrative case on the … Continue reading →

Book Forum on Philanthropy in Democratic Societies / New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Democracy

Reconciling Corporate Social Responsibility And Profitability: Guidelines for the Conscientious Manager

Posted on September 30, 2016 by HistPhil • 1 Comment

Editors’ Note: In our efforts to introduce readers to new works in the field, we have invited the authors of the recently-published volume Philanthropy in Democratic Societies to present synopses of their contributions. Paul Brest continues this forum by discussing his chapter on reconciling corporate social responsibility and profitability. How can a company’s managers safeguard the firm’s financial value for its shareholders … Continue reading →

Book Forum on Philanthropy in Democratic Societies / New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Democracy

The Problem With Discretionary Philanthropy

Posted on September 28, 2016 by HistPhil • 3 Comments

Editors’ Note: Since our last conversation on philanthropy and the state, we have been working on two other forums for the site. Highlighting new scholarship in the field, this next forum centers on the edited volume, Philanthropy in Democratic Societies (U. of Chicago Press, 2016). In the book, editors Rob Reich, Chiara Cordelli, and Lucy Bernholz have brought together an interdisciplinary community … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field

New HULA Research on Humanities Grant Applications

Posted on September 21, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: Below, Christopher Pupik Dean, Maggie Schein, Sheena Kang, and Danielle Allen describe their research on grant applications funded by Illinois Humanities, with emphasis on its relevance for philanthropy scholars and philanthropists alike. The Humanities and Liberal Arts Assessment (HULA) project (a research and consulting group led by Danielle Allen and based out of … Continue reading →

Current Events and Philanthropy

The Clinton Foundation and the Declining Price of Antiretroviral Drugs: A Cautionary Success Story

Posted on September 14, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: In this post, Tamara Mann Tweel offers an assessment of the impact of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, based on a report completed for the Open Philanthropy Project. The Open Philanthropy Project, funded by GiveWell and Good Ventures, also supports the work of HistPhil co-editor Benjamin Soskis on the blog. Two modes of discourse dominate … Continue reading →

Calls for Papers / Conferences / From the Editors

Call for Papers on the History of Philanthropy: LSA Conference (Mexico City, June 2017)

Posted on August 29, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

The Law and Society Association‘s annual meeting will take place in Mexico City this upcoming June of 2017 and its theme will be “Walls, Borders, and Bridges: Law and Society in an Inter-Connected World.” I am reaching out to our readers in order to organize a potential panel on the history of American philanthropy and public policymaking on an interconnected, global stage. … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field / Oral History/Testimonies / Philanthropy and Historical Research

Can History Make You a Better Giver?

Posted on August 12, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: The following post, a personal reflection from Amanda Moniz, which also introduces themes from her new book, From Empire to Humanity, originally appeared on the OUPBlog under the title “How can history inform public policy today?” As a historian of philanthropy, I have wrestled with how to bring historical perspectives to my own gifts … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field

The Eighteenth-Century Revolution in Philanthropy

Posted on August 10, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: Karen Sonnelitter discusses her recently-published book, Charity Movements in Eighteenth-Century Ireland (2016). More specifically in this post, she explains how “joint-stock financing” facilitated the establishment of a wide range of charitable societies in eighteenth-century Ireland. Earlier this summer, she presented part of this work at the 2016 conference of the International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR) in Stockholm, Sweden. … Continue reading →

Philanthropy and the State

Reconsidering Progressive Era Opposition to Foundation Activity: The Farm Demonstration Project Controversy

Posted on August 8, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: HistPhil continues its forum on philanthropy and the state with this contribution from Jesse Tarbert. Scholars of philanthropy have long been preoccupied with puzzling out the motives of the progenitors and leaders of the large foundations of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Were the philanthropists benevolent industrial statesmen? Clever Robber Barons? Or … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field

Can Philanthropy Be a Profession? Should it Be?

Posted on July 27, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: In 1995, Howard Gardner, a psychologist-turned qualitative social scientist, joined forces with psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and William Damon to start the Good Work Project—an empirical study of the professions in the United States and of how such work could be conducted in an ethical manner. Two decades later, Gardner began a blog, The Professional Ethicist, … Continue reading →

In remembrance

Alison Bernstein: A Remembrance

Posted on July 21, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: Susan Berresford, the former president of the Ford Foundation, remembers her friend and Ford colleague Alison Bernstein, who passed away on June 30th. Alison Bernstein came into my life when she was a candidate for a program officer job at the Ford Foundation. It took me only 10 minutes to know we should … Continue reading →

Conferences / Philanthropy and Historical Research

Stanley N. Katz’s ISTR Prize Lecture (2016)

Posted on July 18, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: At the 2016 meeting of the International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR) in Stockholm this summer, HistPhil’s Stanley N. Katz became the inaugural recipient of the ISTR Lecture Prize. Honoring “a member who has made a significant contribution to the field of Third Sector Research,” the Society asked Katz to share his thoughts on his work in Third Sector studies … Continue reading →

Calls for Papers

Announcing UT essay competition on the financial crisis in higher ed

Posted on July 15, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: This announcement comes from HistPhil contributor Thomas Adam. Note that the winning essay will appear in an edited volume whose introduction will be written by HistPhil‘s own Stan Katz. The Department of History at the University of Texas at Arlington is announcing its annual Webb/Smith Essay Competition as part of the 52nd annual Walter … Continue reading →

Conferences / Philanthropy and Historical Research / Philanthropy and the State

How Foundations Got the U.S. Government Invested in International Population Control

Posted on June 24, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: Emily Klancher Merchant continues HistPhil’s forum on Philanthropy and the State with a post outlining research she recently presented at a panel on “Private Foundations and Public Policy” at the Policy History Conference in Nashville. HistPhil recently published a post from Anne Fleming based on a paper she presented on that same panel. In … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Education

What Gates and Broad Could Have Learned From Ford

Posted on June 22, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: Megan Tompkins-Stange discusses her book, Policy Patrons, which was published by Harvard Education Press this month. Earlier this week, HistPhil co-editor Maribel Morey reviewed the book on this site. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” wrote George Santayana in 1905 – a perennially popular aphorism. But in the case of philanthropy, … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Historical Research

Next Week’s ISTR Conference in Stockholm (June 28-July 1)

Posted on June 22, 2016 by HistPhil • 2 Comments

The 12th International Conference of the International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR) is taking place next week (June 28-July 1) at Ersta Skondal University College in Stockholm, Sweden. The theme is “The Third Sector in Transition: Accountability, Transparency, and Social Inclusion.” Below, I am including events that would be of particular interest to HistPhil readers. Of … Continue reading →

New Works in the Field / Philanthropy and Democracy / Philanthropy and Education

Maribel Morey Reviews Tompkins-Stange’s POLICY PATRONS (2016)

Posted on June 20, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: HistPhil co-editor, Maribel Morey, reviews Megan Tompkins-Stange’s new book, Policy Patrons: Philanthropy, Education Reform, and the Politics of Influence (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Education Press, 2016). In Policy Patrons: Philanthropy, Education Reform, and the Politics of Influence, Megan Tompkins-Stange provides a fascinating peek into staff mentalities at the Gates, Broad, Kellogg, and Ford foundations. This is a … Continue reading →

Conferences / Philanthropy and the State

The Changing Role of Foundations in Regulatory Reform: The Case of Small-Dollar Loan Reform

Posted on June 15, 2016 by HistPhil • Leave a comment

Editors’ Note: In early June, the Policy History Conference in Nashville held a panel on “Private Foundations and Public Policy.” In this post, one of the panelists, Anne Fleming, shares some of the research she presented, continuing HistPhil’s forum on Philanthropy and the State. The work of the modern foundation in policymaking often takes a … Continue reading →