About the Book A vivid account of philanthropic practices in the Indian context. Philanthropy has a very long tradition in India. All practicing religions embody the idea of philanthropy and the concept of daanworks across religions and cultures. This book provides unique sociological and empirical perspectives, contrasting what is happening in India vis-á-vis other countries. It documents various government policies that have influenced philanthropy and identifies successful strategies practiced by the general population as well as organizations. Through case studies, narratives and interviews of philanthropists, the book examines various modes of giving—formal and informal, religious and secular, charitable trusts and foundations, NGOs and corporates, diaspora as well as social media platforms—that shape the practice and promise of philanthropy in India today. About the Author Meenaz Kassam is Assistant Professor of Sociology and is currently teaching at the Department of International Studies at the American University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates). She is on the Board of Directors of the NGO Aseema whose mandate is to promote and protect the rights of underprivileged children and women. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of Community Practice, Social Development Issues, Non-profit Management and Leadership, the Journal of Women’s Studies, and the Canadian Journal of Sociology.
Femida Handy is Professor at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (United States of America) and Senior Scholar at the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto (Canada). She specializes in the study of non-profit organizations and volunteers, and international NGOs, and is the Editor- in- Chief of Non-profit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Her articles have appeared in many journals and received numerous awards.
Emily Jansons works in Corporate Social Responsibility and has a background in international development research and practice. She has done her MA from McGill University and BA (Hons) from Queen’s University. At the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa, Canada, she conducted a research on high-net-worth philanthropy in India, resulting in several publications, including VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Non-profit Organizations, Alliance magazine, and The Hindu Business Line. She was granted the 2012 Italian Research in Philanthropy Award from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of Milan) for her work on Indian philanthropy.
Handy, Femida: -
Femida Handy is Professor of Nonprofit Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her academic writing is on philanthropy and volunteering, and her recent coedited book, The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy (2015) is a comprehensive reference guide to the practice of philanthropy across 26 nations and regions across the world. Dr Handy is currently Editor-in-Chief of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, a premier journal in the field. She has several award-winning publications and has coauthored five books and over 100 publications. She has also coauthored a children's book called Sandy's Incredible Shrinking Footprint.
Jansons, Emily: - Emily Jansons works in Corporate Social Responsibility and has a background in international development research and practice. She has done her MA from McGill University and BA (Hons) from Queen's University. At the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa, Canada, she conducted a research on high-net-worth philanthropy in India, resulting in several publications, including VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, Alliance magazine, and The Hindu Business Line. She was granted the 2012 Italian Research in Philanthropy Award from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of Milan) for her work on Indian philanthropy.
Kassam, Meenaz: -
Meenaz Kassam is Associate Professor at the American University of Sharjah. She has coauthored three books and several papers, including an award-winning publication. Dr Kassam's research interests include nonprofit entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and women's empowerment. Her teaching interests include environmental issues, the sociology of human behavior, and sociological theory. She is also involved in working with NGOs in various countries.
