Humanities and Normative Theory in the Study of Philanthropy: A Literature Review of Research from 1998–2023 and Beyond

Abstract

The humanities and normative theory played a prominent role in creating the field of philanthropic studies. However, the leading outlets for research in this field now publish little scholarship from disciplines such as history, religious studies, philosophy, literature, and ethics—favoring instead disciplines from the social sciences, public policy, and managerial studies. Our review begins by documenting this phenomenon from 1998 to 2023 in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ), Voluntas, Nonprofit Management & Leadership (NML), Journal of Civil Society (JoCS), and several similar publications. Subsequently, we show that vital humanities and normative theory research on philanthropy and civil society exists elsewhere in disconnected pockets across the academic landscape. These two findings demonstrate the need for a new academic forum to promote and connect humanities and normative theory research in philanthropic studies.