New Blog Focuses on the History of Philanthropy

Jun 17 2015
By
Public Affairs

Today we wanted to give a shout-out to another blog: HistPhil, launched this week by Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Professor Stanley N. Katz and fellow historians Benjamin Soskis and Maribel Morey, Ph.D. '13. 

This new blog focuses on the history of philanthropy and places a particular emphasis on how history can shed light on contemporary philanthropic issues and practice. The blog will bring together scholars, foundation leaders, and philanthropists in common dialogue on the past, present, and future of philanthropy.

In order to strengthen this virtual community, HistPhil’s editors have decided to structure the blog around certain themes. However, they also will open the blog to ongoing comment on current matters of philanthropic concern and controversy.

They will start off with a discussion on the state of the field. Stan Katz asks how a historical perspective can inform our understanding of the Clinton Foundation; David Hammack offers his thoughts on the various waves of scholarship over the last two centuries that have engaged the topics of the philanthropic sector and civil society; in a Q&A, Olivier Zunz relates his experience writing his major monograph on the history of American philanthropy, and considers the directions the field might go in the years to come; Abigail Green and Amanda Moniz discuss the question of present-ism and its relation to the historiography of humanitarianism; and more. They then will progress to other topics, such as “philanthropy and democracy,” “philanthropy and education,” “the African American experience and philanthropy,” and “philanthropy and the environment.” Contributors for these weeks include Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer, political theorist Emma Saunders-Hastings, and historians Karen Ferguson and Leah Gordon.

Check it out here!