Resources

Books

Reference books are always useful. In this list some books have been reviewed whilst others are listed as recommended reading.

Book List
This collection of essays is designed to show the ‘hidden history’ of women's involvement in the charitable sector and discusses how women are using philanthropy to achieve social change. Contributions from thirty female leaders and thinkers give the book an...
Book Review
The question mark in the title of this book is rather redundant as the author harbours no real doubts that the hype concerning philanthrocapitalism is as unwarranted as the lavish praise for the emperor’s non-existent new threads. But, just as...
Book List
Written by a historian, this is the first Canadian book to explore the evolution of modern charitable giving and the development of that country’s welfare state. The author’s meticulously traced account of the rise of professional fundraising leads her to...
Book List
This book examines the evolution of the ideas and practices of benevolence, chiefly in the context of British imperialism, from the late eighteenth century to the present. The editors raise philosophical questions about the relationship between benevolence and self-interest, concluding...
Book List
At a time when the UK and Scottish governments have committed £2.2m (alongside the Carnegie UK Trust) to fund research into charitable giving and philanthropy, Wiepking’s book – which addresses the core problem of ‘why do some [Dutch] people donate...
Book List
This short collection of 10 essays begins and ends with contributions by Michael Edwards, whose essay Philanthrocapitalism: after the goldrush raised questions about mixing business principles with philanthropic objectives. It sparked the debate on the Open Democracy website that is...
Book List
Whilst weighted towards the American experience, this book provides an exhaustive account of what is known about non-profits from a range of academic disciplines. Philanthropy is explained by economists, sociologists, historians, lawyers and social policy experts. It’s not a light...
Book List
Owen’s panoramic study is the starting point for most people who want to learn about the history of English philanthropy. Sprinkled with fascinating facts and quotes, this is literally a treasure trove of a book, as well as a learned...
Book List
The first of the two major histories of English philanthropy to be published in the mid-twentieth century, Jordan bases his work on a comprehensive study of all charitable legacies made within this period from the late 15th to mid 17th...
Book List
A treasure-trove of a book looking at how philanthropy has contributed to, and been shaped by, the various historical periods and different cultures in which it has existed. The scope of the essays is vast, including pre-colonial Africa, twentieth-century Russia...

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