Critical theory, qualitative methods and the non-profit and voluntary sector: an introduction to the special issue

Dean, Jon; Wiley, Kimberly

doi:10.1332/204080521x16417596703081

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…Finally, I reflect on Davies' (and the editors of this volume who invited his piece and responses) attempt to make visible those parts of the sector that cross over into cultural studies, applying a wider, more structural sociological analysis. It is sometimes forgotten in our research circles that the charity sector is not some abstract entity, operating according to its own rules (Dean & Wiley, 2022). Patterns, processes and impacts within the sector are impacted by culture (from national to popular) and wider social issues, currents and inequalities.…”

Section: On Charity Studies and The Search For The Sociologicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Four reflections on Beast philanthropy: A response to Davies

Dean

2024

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

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Twenty years ago, the American ethnographer Mitch Duneier (2002) responded to a critique of his book Sidewalk published in the American Journal of Sociology by Loic Wacquant (2002). He was appalled by Wacquant's (in his view) purposeful distortion of his book, saying, '[i]n its obvious omissions and misrepresentations, it fails to meet minimal standards of scholarly criticism and debate. It is not akin to combat in a sport with rules, like boxing, but to a free-for all in the schoolyard.' Thankfully no such combat is required to respond to Rhodri Davies' article on MrBeast's philanthropy. Davies has produced a sumptuously useful interrogation of MrBeast's approach to content creation, online philanthropy, and the myriad debates within charity studies his giving causes us to reassess.

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Section: On Charity Studies and The Search For The Sociologicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Four reflections on Beast philanthropy: A response to Davies

Dean

2024

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

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“…(Davies, 2014, p. 260) Critical charity and philanthropy studies have grown in focus in recent years (see Eikenberry et al, 2019). Stimulated both by a concern that overly managerialist and neocorporatist approaches to studying voluntary action had led to an unquestioning attitude to the place of giving in society and the unequal power relations revealed by large-scale philanthropy alongside a failure to diversify in theory (Coule et al, 2022) and method (Dean & Wiley, 2022), these studies have examined the social relationships, unequal power relations, and problematic motivations within giving. These include a focus on the social and political issues that emerge with reliance on foundations (McGoey, 2015), donations and tax abuse (Reich, 2018), the problematic organization of the international aid field (Krause, 2014), the misuse of charitable trust (McCormack, 2020), and, key for us here, the role of charity in reputation management and laundering (Burgess et al, 2018;Dean, 2020;Giridharadas, 2018;Radden Keefe, 2021).…”

Section: Philanthropy Fundraising and The "Good Glow" Power Of Charitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Charity and Abuse: Fundraising and Symbolic Power in the Case of Jimmy Savile

Dean

2023

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly

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In life, Jimmy Savile was revered as Britain’s greatest charity fundraiser. In death, he is remembered as Britain’s most notorious pedophile. Raising over £40 million for good causes throughout his media career, a year after his death several investigations revealed a history of abuse of hundreds of children, mostly young girls, across the institutions he worked or volunteered at. Using the framework of the symbolic power of charity, this article documents how these crimes were either missed or covered up. Savile used his fundraising prowess and the “good glow” of his reputation to enable his abuse and shield him from discovery. Institutions prioritized their reputation or fundraising income over bad publicity and proper safeguarding. Drawing on a growing critical literature, this is the first article to explore the role of Savile’s charity in his crimes and highlights the increased concern over charity’s role as a tool of reputation laundering for elites.

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“…Critical scholarship has received greater attention in the field in recent years as NGOs and other civil society actors, and civil society scholars, respond to visible and disruptive environmental, social, and political challenges (see Coule et al, 2022;Dean & Wiley, 2022). A key underpinning of any critical perspective is questioning ''common-sense,'' seemingly reified, understandings of the world; illuminating how these understandings and broader structures and processes-such as those related to politics, economics, culture, discourse, gender, and race-lead to oppression; and stimulating or taking actions to create emancipation, social transformation, equity, and justice (Agger, 2013;Guba & Lincoln, 2005;Escobar, 2018;Keucheyan, 2013;Lee, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%