What is Philanthropic Studies?

When scholars think about philanthropy, you will often hear someone mention Payton & Moody's definition, “voluntary action for the public good”. This is what I also believed philanthropy was at the beginning of my journey in the sector. However, I believe this commonly accepted Western definition of philanthropy can be rather limiting since it excludes cultures that practice charitable acts which are not strictly voluntary (such as some religious obligations). It also ignores many other ways of giving that do not strictly align with Western culture.

 

To me, philanthropy is an umbrella term to describe giving to others with the intent to do good. Giving can be anything relating to your time, money, or support, and can be with the intent of helping an individual, the community, or humanity as a whole. In this definition, the “good” that is done may be influenced by the morality and ethics followed by one’s culture. 

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I created this personal definition through my "Philanthropy in a Global Context" course, which opened my eyes to how different giving culture is in other countries. To interact with philanthropy on a global scale, we have to use global and inclusive definitions. ​