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Abstract
This paper was developed out of an interest to learn more about the role, and more particularly about the motivations, of philanthropists who engage in peace research and peacebuilding practice. How can we explain this engagement in peacebuilding and conflict transformation despite the fact that (a) this field is highly contested in terms of substance, instruments and processes, and (b) it may take far more than one generation’s lifespan for it to show positive results? Adopting an inductive approach, the article examines basic linkages between philanthropy and peacebuilding, laying the groundwork for preliminary results from a set of explorative semi-structured interviews on the topic. The authors analyse the implications of philanthropic financing for peacebuilding interventions and compare it with other sources of funding.
Acknowledgements
A first version of this paper was presented at the conference ‘Philanthropy and Peacebuilding: Classic Approaches and Emerging Trends’ that took place at Bilgi University in Istanbul in April 2014. We thank the participants in this conference and three anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments. We also are extremely grateful to our interview partners for having given us their time and insights. This paper could not have been written without their cooperation. The responsibility for any remaining shortcomings is of course ours.
Notes
1 The paper is the result of an exploratory research for which the six interview partners served as examples or ‘cases’ in order to provide illustrative answers to our questions. The sampling followed a pragmatic non-representative approach: one of our interview partners was known to us through our work (interview 1), one of them is publicly known for being active in this field (interview 2), and the four remaining ones were indicated to us through partners (interviews 3–6). Cf. Interviews. Two interviews were conducted in English, two in French and two in German.
2 This is in line with the results of a research undertaken pertaining to a network of private foundations engaged in social change in the United States of which the motto was ‘change not charity’. The donors of the foundations did not see any importance in participating in charity events to gain more visibility because they see their engagement as an ‘overt political act’ that goes against the typical behaviour of other people of wealth (Silver Citation2007, 546). We assume that similar arguments would apply to philanthropists engaged in peacebuilding work. They do not feel the need to be visible to a broader public with their engagements. Much more, they are interested in making a difference for the lives of the people in conflict-affected contexts.
3 ‘What we give to alleviate the need, suffering and sorrow of the other, whether we know them or not, is charity. What we give to prevent and correct social and environmental problems and improve lives and living conditions of people and creatures we don’t know and who have no claim on us, is philanthropy’ (Bremner Citation1996, xi).
4 When attributing quotes we use the male form only in order to keep a maximum of confidentiality towards the persons interviewed.
5 As Howard Buffet, engaged in food security stated: ‘We need to throw out all the old ideas. We have been doing the same thing over and over again because it is convenient or because it is what we know, and in a lot of cases, because it is the least risky option’ (Buffet Citation2014, 147).
6 With regard to the Millennium Development Goals, a strategic dialogue with philanthropic organisations has already taken place. They have committed to several action points some of which are to align and contribute to the global development agenda, to engage strategically, to promote more transparency, to harness innovative experiences, to use a common language and to embrace diversity and to avoid fragmentation. The latter refers to a light coordination in order to avoid ‘projectization’ and high transaction costs (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [UNDESA] et al. Citation2013).
7 This would probably apply more to institutional philanthropists than to individual personalities interviewed in our study.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Sidonia Gabriel
SIDONIA GABRIEL is a sociologist with a specialisation in conflict resolution and organisational development. In the past 15 years she worked as an expert for conflict analysis, conflict transformation as well as participation of local stakeholders in peace processes in various contexts. She currently heads the Policy & Platform unit and the Centre for Peacebuilding (KOFF) at swisspeace.
Laurent Goetschel
LAURENT GOETSCHEL is professor of political science at the University of Basel and the director of swisspeace. His main research interests are foreign policy analysis, peacebuilding and the transfer of norms and ideas in international relations. He is currently chair of the Swiss commission for research partnerships with developing countries.