Why the wealthy give : the culture of elite philanthropy /

Through a series of candid personal interviews with nearly one hundred donors, Why the Wealthy Give offers an in-depth look at the world of elite philanthropy. Francie Ostrower focuses on the New York City area, with its high concentration of affluent donors, to explore both the motivations of indiv...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ostrower, Francie
Corporate Authors: De Gruyter.
Published: Princeton University Press,
Publisher Address: Princeton, N.J. :
Publication Dates: [1996]
©1996
Literature type: eBook
Language: English
Edition: Course Book.
Subjects:
Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9781400821853
http://www.degruyter.com/doc/cover/9781400821853.jpg
Summary: Through a series of candid personal interviews with nearly one hundred donors, Why the Wealthy Give offers an in-depth look at the world of elite philanthropy. Francie Ostrower focuses on the New York City area, with its high concentration of affluent donors, to explore both the motivations of individual donors and the significance of philanthropy for the culture and organization of elite groups. In so doing, she offers an account of why the wealthy give that also provides insight into the nature of elite culture, status, identity, and cohesion. Emphasizing the diversity of philanthropy, the book also shows how and why different types of donors support different causes. It further demonstrates how, in the face of considerable change, elite philanthropy has adapted and therefore endured. A timely discussion explores the ways in which elite donors view the respective roles of government and philanthropy. Why the Wealthy Give shows that elite philanthropy involves far more than writing a check. The wealthy take philanthropy and adapt it into an entire way of life that serves as a vehicle for the social and cultural life of their class. This is reflected in the widespread popularity of educational and cultural causes among donors. At the same time, Ostrower finds divergent patterns of giving that reflect alternative sources of donor identity, such as religion, ethnicity, and gender, and explains why certain kinds of donors are more or less likely to diverge from the prestige hierarchy of their class in their philanthropy.
Carrier Form: 1 online resource (203 pages) : illustrations
ISBN: 9781400821853
Index Number: HV99
CLC: D771.27
Contents: Frontmatter --
CONTENTS --
TABLES --
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --
INTRODUCTION --
CHAPTER ONE. Philanthropy and Status Boundaries among the Elite --
CHAPTER TWO. Religion, Ethnicity, and Jewish Philanthropy --
CHAPTER THREE. Gender, Marriage, and Philanthropy --
CHAPTER FOUR. Education, Culture, and the Institutionalization of Philanthropic Values --
CHAPTER FIVE. Attitudes toward Inheritance and Philanthropic Bequests --
CHAPTER SIX. Government and Philanthropy: Alternatives or Complements? --
CONCLUSION --
METHODOLOGICAL APPENDIX --
NOTES --
BIBLIOGRAPHY --
INDEX.