Welcome

Welcome to Giving and Voluntarism. This course gives students an opportunity to explore the values, history, social structure and traditions of the nonprofit sector in the United States. Through the content of this course I hope to give students the knowledge and skills to know how altruism and self-interest can be put to work to benefit the voluntary sector and the causes it benefits. The class pays particular attention to the relationship between donors and recipients of charity throughout history in order to gain insights into this key relationship that epitomizes organized charity and philanthropy.

Syllabus

Official Description

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Purpose of this Course

Apply sociological theory to the act of giving to better understand the motivations of the donors and beneficiaries, their relationship to one another, and the social institutions they create.

Conceptual Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of the history of giving, motivations for giving and volunteering, and the structure and function of philanthropy in the United States, by looking at giving from the perspective of the humanities (history, philosophy and literature), arts (music, fine art, multimedia, film, photography, theater) and social sciences (anthropology, psychology, political science, economics, and sociology).
2. Consider the connection between wealth, elite status, social reproduction and social responsibility.
3. Understand gender and ethnic differences in giving and vountarism.
4. Identify and assess the social institutions which make up the "voluntary sector" and their relationship to social class, social structure, and social theory.

Applied Objectives

1. Understand the origins, extent and dimensions of charitable giving and voluntarism in the United States.
2. See the broad scope of nonprofit activity in the economy and opportunities for charitable entreprenuership.
3. Become acquainted with the management of non-profit organizations.
4. Understand fund raising and grant-making as function of the donor/beneficiary relationship and to apply theoretical principles to the act of fund raising.
5. Assist students to make personal and professional decisions regarding their own participation with non-profit organizations, third sector professions, citizen leadership, voluntary action, philanthropic studies and research, graduate education, volunteering and gifting and other philanthropic activities.

Grading

Expectations for each grade A-F and other explanation.

Required Texts

Prince, Russ and File, Karen, 1994. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy. Jossey-Bass Inc., publishers. ISBN 0-7879-0008-7 (Available at the O.S.U. Bookstore)

lecture materials can be printed from the class blackboard web site or can be purchased as a package from ___________________________________

Additional readings such as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, CASE Currents, and Foundation news will be assigned. Additional reading materials will be distributed by the instructor or placed on the website to augment lecture, discussion, and web materials.

Important Information

1. Academic Regulations
2. Grading policy
3. Policy on cheating, plagiarism, honesty, etc.
4. Statement regarding disabilities

Course Assessment

Link to universal course assessment tool (future).