According to a report issued by Giving USA, an organization which tracks charitable giving, 2015 was a record breaking year with over $358 billion dollars being donated. In this episode of left out we explore the relationship between increased inequality and the rise of philanthropic giving. Close attention is paid to how philanthropic missions often ignore structural root causes and instead focus primarily on 'symptoms'.
In this episode, we interview Professor Linsey McGoey Professor at the University of Essex who recently published a book, "No Such Thing as A Free Gift: The Gates Foundation and the Price of Philanthropy"on new trends in philanthropy, namely the giving of philanthropic dollars to corporate entities.
We also speak with David Callahan, Editor of Inside Philanthropy to discuss philanthropy's relationship to political and economic inequality with an emphasis on recent education efforts.
Finally, we interview Frank Emspak, Executive Director of Diversified Media Enterprises, a Madison based media organization that produces news stories highlighting labor struggles. He reflects back on the growing presence of philanthropy in independent media outfits like his own over the past 30 years and what it means for organizing in the future.
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