1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910780056003321

Autore

Ostrower Francie

Titolo

Why the wealthy give [[electronic resource] ] : the culture of elite philanthropy / / Francie Ostrower

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Princeton, N.J., : Princeton University Press, c1995

ISBN

1-4008-0601-1

1-282-75235-9

9786612752353

1-4008-2185-1

1-4008-1291-7

Edizione

[Course Book]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (203 p.)

Disciplina

361.7/4

Soggetti

Philanthropists - New York (State) - New York

Charities - New York (State) - New York

Voluntarism - New York (State) - New York

Elite (Social sciences) - New York (State) - New York

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [177]-183) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- 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

Sommario/riassunto

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.