Donor Plaques: Traces of Generosity?
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Podcast "Philanthropy in question(s)" - Episode 29
Donor plaques: traces of generosity? - Anne Monier
Does giving leave a trace? As material evidence of generosity, donor plaques are a reminder that giving is not a one-off practice that disappears once the gift has been made: it is a social and political practice that can leave a trace.
In this episode, Anne Monier presents one of her own writings: a chapter entitled "Leaving a Trace: Donor Plaques as Material Evidences of Generosity?" published in the collective book What People Leave Behind: Marks, Traces, Footprints and their Relevance to Knowledge Society (Springer, 2023).
The researcher focuses on donor plaques and naming, pointing out that the study of philanthropy through its material aspects remains rare, even though materiality often unveils broader logics. Being controversial objects on the rise in Europe, donor plaques provide an opportunity to consider philanthropy not only as a practice, but also through its symbolic aspects.
The main ideas of the article:
In this episode, Anne Monier presents the main ideas of this research:
Donor plaques reveal some of the key issues at stake in philanthropy, particularly in terms of space and time.
The traces of philanthropy are a truly political subject.
There are various forms of resistance to the donor plaques and the power dynamics they unveil.
➡️ Listen to the episode above to learn more!
Other resources on the topic
Eason, J. K. 2005. Private motive and perpetual conditions in charitable naming gifts: When good names go bad. U.C. Davis Law Review, 38(2), 375–463.
Tobelem, J-M. 2010 (2005). Le Nouvel Âge des musées. Les Institutions culturelles au défi de la gestion. Armand Colin.
Sugin, L. 2018. Competitive Philanthropy: Charitable Naming Rights, Inequality, and Social Norms. Ohio State Law Journal, Vol.79.1.
"[ÉCLAIRAGE] Le naming, une tendance en vogue qui allie mécénat et marketing", Carenews, 2017.
"Les bonnes pratiques pour remercier ses donateurs comme il se doit", Carenews, 2021.
"Major Gifts and Naming Opportunities: When Giving Becomes Leading", Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Other episodes with related themes
An anthropology of giving (Marcel Mauss)
Philanthropy and democracy (Sylvain Lefèvre, Anne Monier)
Symbolic capital and corporate philanthropy (Yuliya Shymko, Thomas Roulet, Bernardo de Melo Pimentel)
Getting the rich and powerful to give (Judd Kessler, Katherine Milkman, Yiwei Zhang)
Listen to all episodes of our podcast "Philanthropy in Question(s)"
Every last Wednesday of the month, in an episode of about 10 minutes, we share the discoveries of a researcher on philanthropy in France or internationally, all disciplines included. The goal? To give research a place in everyday life, to contribute to critical thinking and to shed light on societal issues through the prism of philanthropy. Dive with us into the heart of research on giving!
Also to be discovered: "Towards Strategic Philanthropy"
Based on interviews with philanthropists and professionals in the philanthropy sector, this podcast from the ESSEC Philanthropy Chair introduces you to the 5 key dimensions of philanthropy strategy: value, logical framework, style, time horizon and vehicle. The embodiment of the learnings from the book Towards Strategic Philanthropy published by Peter Frumkin, Anne-Claire Pache and Arthur Gautier at Odile Jacob in 2020. To your headphones!
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