Hostname: page-component-5db58dd55d-qmkzp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-31T10:44:55.470Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New Styles of Community Building and Philanthropy by Arab-American Muslims

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Sabith Khan
Sabith Khan*
Affiliation:
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
*
e-mail: khanpgg@vt.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Among Arab-American Muslims, secular ethnic and humanitarian giving, focused on ‘results’ and ‘measurable impact,’ is displacing religiously inspired giving, that is driven by ‘charity’ and ‘love of mankind.’ This trend is supported by evidence of the way donors position themselves and philanthropic organizations appeal to their donor base. The case is supported by qualitative data drawn from interviews with key informants and from trend data on giving. I propose a new model of giving based on identity and giving, using Grounded Theory methods. This model challenges our understanding about the connection between community and philanthropy and proposes that philanthropy can create ‘community.’

Résumé

Résumé

Je propose un nouveau modèle de charité basé sur l’identité et le don à l’aide des méthodes de la théorie ancrée. Ce modèle questionne nos connaissances de la relation entre la communauté et la philanthropie et propose que la philanthropie peut créer une «communauté».

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Unter Anwendung der Grounded-Theory-Methodologie schlage ich ein neues Spendenmodell vor, das auf Identität und Spenden basiert. Dieses Modell hinterfragt unser Verständnis über die Verbindung zwischen Gemeinschaft und Philanthropie und legt nahe, das die Philanthropie eine „Gemeinschaft“schaffen kann.

Resumen

Resumen

Propongo un nuevo modelo de dar basado en la identidad y la donación, utilizando métodos de la Teoría Fundamentada (Grounded Theory). Este modelo cuestiona nuestra comprensión sobre la conexión entre comunidad y filantropía y propone que la filantropía puede crear “comunidad”.

Chinese

Chinese

使用扎根理论方法,我建议了基于身份和赠送的全新模型。本模型挑战我们对社区和博爱之间联系的了解,并建议博爱可以创建“社区”。

Japanese

Japanese

本論文では、アイデンティティに基づく新しいモデルの提示と接地理論メソッドの利用と提示を提案する。このモデルは、コミュニティと慈善活動間の連携についての理解を調査して、社会貢献が「コミュニティ」を構築することを提案する。

Arabic

Arabic

أنا أقترح نموذجا˝ جديدا˝ للعطاء على أساس الهوية والعطاء، بإستخدام أساليب نظرية على معرفة تامة. يتحدى هذا النموذج فهمنا حول العلاقة بين المجتمع والعمل الخيري ويقترح أن العمل الخيري يمكن أن يخلق “مجتمع”.

Keywords

PhilanthropyCommunityAmerican MuslimsIdentity

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , April 2016 , pp. 941 - 957
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

ACCESS. (2014). Website at www.accesscommunity.org.Google Scholar
Bellah, R., et al. (1985). Habits of the heart: individualism and commitment in american life. New York: Harper and Row Publishers.Google Scholar
Berger, P., & Luckmann, T. (1967). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge (Anchor (books ed.). Garden City: Doubleday.Google Scholar
Bhabha, H. (1989). Location, intervention, incommensurability: A conversation with Homi Bhabha. Emergences (Fall 1989), 1, 63–88.Google Scholar
Brikenhoff, J. (Ed.). (2008). Diasporas and Development: Exploring the Potential. Washington, D. C.: Lynne.Google Scholar
Brown, R. (1997). Social psychology. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
Carabain, C. L., & Bekkers, R. (2011). Religious and secular volunteering: A comparison between immigrants and non-immigrants in the Netherlands. Voluntary Sector Review, 2(1), 23–41.10.1332/204080511X560602CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Charmaz, K. (2014) Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage publications.Google Scholar
Clark, J. A. (2004). Ccharity, and activism: Middle-class networks and social welfare in Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen. Indiana: Indiana University Press.10.2979/2097.0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crow, G. & Allan, G. (1994). Community Life. An introduction to local social relations, Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf. 229+xxv.Google Scholar
Etzioni, A. (1995). The spirit of community. Rights responsibilities and the communitarian agenda, London: Fontana Press. 323+xii pagesGoogle Scholar
Frazer, E. (1999). The Problem of Communitarian Politics. Unity and conflict. Oxford: Oxford University Press doi: 10.1093/0198295642.001.0001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frumkin, , (2006). Strategic giving: The art and science of philanthropy. Chicago: Uni of Chicago Press doi: 10.7208/chicago/9780226266282.001.0001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giving USA 2013. Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Giving USA Foundation. Philadelphia, Indianapolis.Google Scholar
Haddad, Y., & Harb, N. (2014). Post 9/11, Making Islam an American Religion. MDPI10.3390/rel5020477CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Havens, J., & Schervish, P. (2007). Geography and giving: The culture of philanthropy in New England and the nation. Boston, MA: Boston Foundation.Google Scholar
Havens, J., & Schervish, P. (2010, Jan/Feb). Center on wealth and philanthropy giving model: Forecast for 2009. In Advancing Philanthropy Magazine.Google Scholar
Ibrahim, B. L., & Sherif, D. H. (Eds.). (2008). From charity to social change: Trends in Arab philanthropy. American Univ in Cairo Press.10.5743/cairo/9789774162077.001.0001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ionescu, D. (2006). Engaging Diasporas as development partners for home and destination countries: challenges for policymakers (pp. 85). International Organization for Migration. Esposito, John (2011). Islamophobia. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Jamal, A. (2005). The political participation and engagement of muslim americans mosque involvement and group consciousness. American Politics Research, 33(4), 521–544. doi: 10.1177/1532673X04271385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Najam, A. (2006). Portrait of a giving community: Philanthropy by the Pakistani-American diaspora. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Putnam, R. (2002). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of american community. New York: Simon and Schuster.Google Scholar
Russell Sage Foundation (2009). Citizenship and crisis in detroit. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.Google Scholar
Schervish, P. (2008). Receiving and giving as spiritual exercise. IUPUI: Lake Institute of Faith and Giving.Google Scholar
Schervish, P. G., & Havens, J. J. (1998, May). The Not-For-Profit CEO Monthly Newsletter 5, No. 7, pp. 1–3.Google Scholar
Schervish, P., & Ostrander, S. (1990). Giving and Getting: Philanthropy as a Social Relation.Google Scholar
Schnabel, A. (2013). Religion and Giving for International Assistance. Sociology of Religion.Google Scholar
Siddiqui, S. (2014). Navigating identity through charity: A history of the Islamic Society of North America (1979–2008). IUPUI.Google Scholar
Sievers, B. (2010). Civil society, philanthropy and the fate of the commons. Medford: Tufts University Press.10.2307/j.ctv1xx9h9xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stacey, M. (1969). Methods of social research. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Weber, M. (1930). Protestant ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. London and New York: Routledge Press.Google Scholar
Weber, P. (2014). Ethnic Identity during War: the Case of Germans. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.10.1177/0899764012458543CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiepking, P., & Bekkers, R. (2011). (a, b) Who gives? A literature review of predictors of charitable giving. Part Two: Gender, family composition and income. Voluntary Sector Review, 3(2), 217–245. doi: 10.1332/204080512X649379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wineburg, R. (2007). Faith-based Inefficiency: The Follies of Bush Initiatives. Westport Co: Praeger.10.5040/9798400649639CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wuthnow, R. (1991). Acts of compassion caring for others and helping ourselves. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Wuthnow, R. (2004). Saving America? Faith-based services and the future of civil society. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar