August 08, 2007
Does Ethnic Diversity Hurt Philanthropy?
The nonprofit world is wondering what the implications are of research by Harvard University’s Robert D. Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, which show that residents of ethnically diverse neighborhoods are less likely to volunteer, give to charity, or vote.
The decline in civic engagement in such areas affects a host of issues, including education, immigration, and efforts to get poor people involved in politics, say nonprofit leaders.
“We can’t ignore the findings,” Ali Noorani, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, told The Boston Globe recently. “The big question we have to ask ourselves is, what do we do about it; what are the next steps?”
Kevin E. Schmiesing, a research fellow at the Acton Institute, a Christian think tank, writes on the group’s blog that Mr. Putnam’s study raises questions about the Christian imperative “to love one’s neighbor as oneself.”
Cynthia Gibson, a nonprofit consultant, writes on her blog, CitizenPost, that the findings are important, but other studies have shown benefits to diversity.
“While more diversity may hinder strong social ties and capital, other research indicates that it may be an asset for driving productivity and innovation,” she writes, citing the work of Scott E. Page, a University of Michigan professor of political science.
Read The Chronicle Review‘s synopsis of the controversy surrounding Mr. Putnam’s findings.
What do you think? What do the findings mean for philanthropy or fund raising? What can charities do to overcome the potential obstacles to multiculturalism? Click on the comments link below to share your thoughts.
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The study means nothing until it is carried out over time. At first, people resist getting to know or care about people who are not “like us.” Over time, they redefine what “like us” means.
— Dennis Fischman Aug 8, 12:45 PM #
Dennis Fischman is right that time matters, and it is a point I emphasize in the underlying article. (What also matters is how we act, for developing a more encompassing sense of ‘we’ cannot simply be left to the passage of time.) The Chronicle’s account of this issue has been terribly misleading. Before you comment or “make your mind what you think” about my argument, you might want to read the actual essay that is at the core of this controversy, at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-9477.2007.00176.x
— Bob Putnam Aug 8, 01:13 PM #