Call for Research Abstracts: Philanthropy at an Inflection Point

Call for Abstracts

We invite researchers and academics to submit abstracts and research papers to be considered for the 2nd African Philanthropy Academic Conference which will take place in Dakar, Senegal on Monday 31 July to Tuesday 1 August 2023.

Context

Global events such as the war in Ukraine, slowing economies, the persistence of COVID-19, and rising nationalism continue to challenge the world order. Consequently, sectors like philanthropy have been forced to undergo a transformation challenging the established order of the ecosystem. These shifts, coupled with the myriad of issues African philanthropy is currently grappling with such as localisation, developing a south-south approach, and inward-looking (harnessing the local capacity) for resource mobilisation need a dedicated platform for deliberation. The events occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic witnessed African philanthropy responding in unprecedented ways. Technology and innovative ways of giving became ubiquitous almost overnight. However, clear disparities were also observed as some philanthropic institutions flourished while others were totally decimated and may not resurface.

Other urgent issues the sector is facing head-on include climate change, climate advocacy, climate change adaption vs climate change mitigation, governance, technology, and many other new fronts. These issues have the potential to refocus and pivot how philanthropy is practiced, lived, and experienced especially in Africa. They are simply the inflection points that will continue to shape the future of the ecosystem in Africa.

At this inflection moment, evidence is suggesting that philanthropy is gradually moving away from a relationship-driven to a value-driven system – there is a realisation for sustainability. This is changing the logic of the philanthropic field and has the potential to create an increasingly efficient social capital over time. Given the magnitude of social and environmental needs, a new way of thinking must be devised for the sector to truly realise its potential and impact. Although there has hardly been a broad consensus on efficiency and effectiveness, systematic shifts and systems thinking are likely to enable philanthropies to achieve greater impact at this inflection point.

The 2nd African Philanthropy Academic Conference will be charged with the responsibility of unpacking some of these questions and potentially devising the future for philanthropy, especially in Africa. This question and the subthemes will be used to guide and reflect on the inflection points depicted.

Thematic areas

We are pleased to invite scholars and practitioners to submit abstracts for the 2nd African Philanthropy Academic Conference. This conference aims to explore the current inflection points in philanthropy and the urgent issues that the sector is facing. We are seeking abstracts that address one or more of the following thematic areas:

1. Philanthropy and Health
2. Philanthropy and Climate Change
3. Philanthropy and Emerging Technologies
4. Emerging trends in Philanthropy
5. Social Media and philanthropy
6. Philanthropy, Social Investment, and the Sustainable Development Goals
7. Philanthropy and Disaster Management
8. Philanthropy and Systems Change
9. Women, Youth, and Philanthropy
10. Decolonising Philanthropy
11. Religion and Philanthropy
12. Stakeholder maximisation
13. Public Policy and Philanthropy

Additional context of each thematic area is available below. We welcome abstracts from scholars, practitioners, and other stakeholders working in philanthropy in Africa. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words and should clearly outline the objectives, methods, and expected outcomes of the proposed paper.

Submission information

• Applicants should submit an abstract of 300 words in a Word document format
• We welcome abstracts in English and other African languages
• Submitted Abstracts must contain the following
  1. Full title
  2. Names of all the authors
  3. Affiliations of each author
  4. Abstract of the paper
  5. 3 – 6 keywords of the paper
  6. Acknowledgements or disclosure notices (if any)
• A maximum of two submissions will be considered per author
• Only the abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings

Important information

• A registration of USD$300 is to be paid on acceptance of the abstracts. This will give the author access to attend the 4th African Philanthropy Conference.
• Visa, travel, and accommodation is for the cost of the author of the accepted abstract