‘New’ Philanthropy: An Empty Signifier?

บทคัดย่อ

New philanthropy is the term used to refer to a variety of contemporary philanthropic activities corresponded with many new businesslike, venture philanthropy. This conceptual paper aims to review the relevant literature and give skeptical reflections about the concept of ‘new’ philanthropy emerged since the turn of the millennium. ‘New’ philanthropy is arguably nothing more than an empty signifier of the exiting philanthropy. Arguments from historical analysis suggest that there is no sufficient and strong evidence to claim the very existence of the popular discourse ‘new philanthropy’. New philanthropy as one development of history of philanthropy do not generate a radical break that completely separate it from the long history of philanthropy. Actually, it is one stratum of philanthropy shaped by the versions of philanthropy of the past. Hence, philanthropy is invariably embedded in time and space. However, this paper points to a possibility that, undeniably, some attributes of ‘new’ frontier of philanthropy such as increasing of philanthropic institutions and new generation of philanthropists do exist in effect.

Keyword: ‘New’ philanthropy, giving, issue of the ‘newness’