Elyse Gordon, University of Washington, Department of Geography
The geographies of philanthropy and giving look markedly different in the US today than they did 20 years ago. Following the extreme concentration of wealth via late capitalist accumulation, philanthropic efforts coalesce through business principles and the interests of capital. On the other hand, following the deepening inequality and diminished resources amidst the Recession on the other, creative giving projects seek to democratize and collective giving practices across class positions. This project seeks to understand the ways subject positions and politics are shaped at individual, regional and national scales via two markedly different approaches to philanthropic giving. I trace the rationalities and logics of philanthro-capitalism and social justice philanthropy, paying particular attention to the negotiations and interrelations within each institution. This project also situates philanthropy as a key site for poverty knowledge and policy, and thus I also examine the ways these institutions conceptualize and operationalize poverty discourses and their attendant solutions.
Contact: egordon4@uw.edu – Website – @elysette2
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