American Philanthropy at Home and Abroad: New Directions in the History of Giving

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American Philanthropy at Home and Abroad explores the different ways in which charities, voluntary associations, religious organisations, philanthropic foundations and other non-state actors have engaged with traditions of giving. Using examples from the late eighteenth century to the Cold War, the collection addresses a number of major themes in the history of philanthropy in the United States. These examples include the role of religion, the significance of cultural networks, and the interplay between civil diplomacy and international development, as well as individual case studies that challenge the very notion of philanthropy as a social good. Led by Ben Offiler and Rachel Williams, the authors demonstrate the benefits of embracing a broad definition of philanthropy, examining how American concepts including benevolence and charity have been used and interpreted by different groups and individuals in an effort to shape and at least nominally to improve peoples lives both within and beyond the United States.

Reviews

American Philanthropy at Home and Abroad makes an essential contribution to understanding the diversity and complexity of Americans giving. Exploring a broad range of efforts to shape public priorities through philanthropy, this volume offers a fascinating examination of Americans ideas about community, moral responsibility, politics, inequality, and much more. * Amanda B. Moniz, David M. Rubenstein Curator of Philanthropy, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, USA *
In this expertly compiled collection, Ben Offiler and Rachel Williams have brought together a range of leading scholars to provide a nuanced and thoughtful assessment of American philanthropy in its domestic and international contexts. With chapters focusing on the role of religious groups, cultural networks, and the state in promoting philanthropy, and two chapters examining groups who opposed its key concepts, the collection's contributors demonstrate the latest scholarship in this burgeoning field and raise important questions for anybody interested in the larger history of the United States' relationship with the concept of giving. * Bevan Sewell, Associate Professor in American History, University of Nottingham, UK *

Author Bio

Ben Offiler is Senior Lecturer in History at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. His research focuses on the role played by philanthropic NGOs in US-Iranian relations and international development in the Middle East during the Cold War. His first monograph, US Foreign Policy and the Modernization of Iran: Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and the Shah, was published in 2015. Rachel Williams is Lecturer in American Studies at the University of Hull, UK. Her research focuses on the social and religious history of the American Civil War, with a particular emphasis on the role of civilian non-combatants in the Union war effort.