Giving Thought

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Latest Episodes:

Democracy & Power Jul 03, 2017

Show notes

Episode 4 of the Giving Thought podcast attempts to assess whether philanthropy supports or undermines democracy and whether that question even makes sense. Rhodri and Adam cover the following themes:

Philanthropy is anti-democratic: We highlight recent examples of the long-standing controversy over the anti-democratic nature of philanthropy (e.g. Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, George Soros and the Koch brothers). But we ask: is being undemocratic in fact a strength to be celebrated? We look at various arguments and examples, including the historical role of philanthropy in promoting unpopular causes, the story of Julius Rosenwald and the current US foundation movement to oppose Trump administration.
Philanthropic power enhances democracy: Exploring the value of pluralism and civic freedom in enhancing minority voices in democracy. Does philanthropy take the blame for the effect of inequality?
The eye of the beholder: The use of aid and philanthropy as a soft power tool to spread democracy (Eastern Europe after the cold war and the Arab Spring)

Related content from the Giving Thought blog:

Inequality Jun 20, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to episode 3 of the Giving Thought Podcast, brought to you by the Charities Aid Foundation's in house think-tank Giving Thought.

In this episode, we tackle the thorny subject of inequality and ask; is trying to address inequality with philanthropy possible, advisable or even legitimate and if so, how should it be done?.

As always, we have broken the issue into three segments:

Can philanthropy challenge inequality? How can philanthropy overcome the paradox of addressing inequality with the proceeds of an unequal system.

Focus on Egypt: Can philanthropy act as a pressure gauge for social dissent? History has shown us that a lack of representation of social dissent can fuel unrest.

Automation, the future of work and universal basic income: As machines and algorithms increasingly replace human workers, a very small number of people will own the means and proceeds of production. What will this mean for inequality and philanthropy?

Below are links to blog posts and publications on issues discussed in the podcast:

Inequality and Philanthropy: part of the solution or part of the problem?

Giving in a World Without Work? Automation, Universal Basic Income and the future of philanthropy

By trying to control civil society, the Egyptian government could fuel more social unrest

Is addressing inequality through philanthropy a paradox?

Philanthropic Power: The Awkward Consequence of Pluralism

Algorithms & Effective Altruism Jun 06, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to episode 2 of the Giving Thought Podcast, brought to you by the Charities Aid Foundation's in house think-tank Giving Thought.

In this episode, we look at the role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could play in accelerating new, data-driven approaches to philanthropy.

We explore:

The rise of algorithms, and what this might mean for philanthropy in terms of creating new challenges and opportunities
The "Effective Altruism" movement and how this links to the growth of AI
Silicon Valley and the focus on "big bet" philanthropy

Below are links to blog posts and publications on issues discussed in the podcast:

-Robotic Alms: AI and the future of philanthropy advice

-Algorithm is Gonna Get You: what the rise of algorithms means for philanthropy

-Are Some Causes Better than Others? The Effective Altruism Debate

-The Stars My Destination: Philanthropy and the Future of Space Exploration

-Has Mark Zuckerberg Just Announced the Death of the Charitable Foundation?

-Why the Criticism of Mark Zuckerberg's Philanthropy is Both Wrong and Right

Politics May 24, 2017

Show notes

Here goes nothing! We are pleased to launch the Giving Thought Podcast, brought to you by the Charities Aid Foundation's in house think-tank Giving Thought.

In our first episode, we will be looking at the interplay between philanthropy, charity and politics. Given recent political events around the world and the trend for civil society activism to singled out for special scrutiny for its political influence this seems timely.

We have decided to look at this issue from three interesting angles;

Scrapping the Johnson amendment: What if President Trump follows through on his pledge to "destroy" the Johnson amendment which restricts the political lobbying of non profits and religious organisations?
The emerging legal environment for Chinese civil society: New laws have made life much easier for donors and charities to operate ... as long as you agree with the government.
Fake News: The proliferation of false stories targeted at specific audiences online raises problems for charities in getting their message across but also new needs for them to address.

Read related content from Giving Thought

Closing Space or Open Season? What President Trump's latest move means for the future of civil society campaigning.

The Johnson Amendment prevents US nonprofits from electoral campainging, but Donald Trump wants to abolish it. Why?

Algorithm Is Gonna Get You: what the rise of algorithms means for philanthropy

Algorithms are the automated decision processes that increasingly govern many aspects of our lives and the choices we make.

Truth Decay: Philanthropy and the battle against misinformation and fake news

Does philanthropy have a vital role to play in combating the widely-publicised threat of "fake news"?