Philanthropy and Cultural Imperialism

<p><i>Philanthropy and Cultural Imperialism</i> is intended as a source book on the origins workings and consequences of modern general-purpose foundations. The text encompasses the activities of foundations--prinicpally Carnegie Rockefeller and Ford--in the production of culture and the formation of public policy. Particular attention is given to the policies of the big foundations in the fields of education and social science research.<br /><br />The authors write from the perspectives of history sociology comparative education and educational policy studies. Their chapters are based on original research. While the contributors do not share a uniform ideological framework they do have in common a structural point of view--they examine foundations with regard to their functioning in society. They analyze the implications of foundations' organizational characteristics modus operandi and substantive decisions for social control or social change.<br /><br />A distinguishing feature of <i>Philanthropy and Cultural Imperialism</i> is its systematic critical analysis of the sociopolitical consequences of these powerful institutions. A central thesis is that foundations like Carnegie Rockefeller and Ford have a corrosive influence on a democratic society; they represent relatively unregulated and unaccountable concentrations of power and wealth which buy talent promote causes and in effect establish an agenda of what merits society's attention.</p>