Disaster philanthropy: The power and influence of for-profit philanthropy in pandemic times

• In Event: Covidd-19 Transitions in Schooling

Proposal

This paper contributes a conceptual analysis of the power and influence of for-profit philanthropy on educational development during pandemic times. Through highlighting for-profit philanthropy, describing its relevance to educational development, and drawing attention to four aspects that are under-examined as for-profit philanthropists enact their philanthropic agendas in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster philanthropy is presented as a window of opportunity for elite donors to enact changes in public education based on their distinct organizational agendas. The author contends that in the absence of clearly defined education sector plans, “windows of opportunity” presented by times of crisis present an opportunity for private sector actors to become the arbiters of education driven by their unique motivations and rationales. The implications for educational development are discussed including the amplification of existing trends that include shifts in power from public to private oversight, shifts in monopolies on financial flows and shifts in educational returns from public to private domains. The paper concludes with reflections upon a paradox: the final responsibility for the coherence and overall delivery of, at least, basic education, lies with the State, where in contrast, private money has an optional responsibility to consider the public good. The author asserts that further analytical innovation in this area will advance the field of comparative education and contribute to a better understanding of how the blurring of lines between the public and private sectors, the creeping acceptance of results-based aid and the consequent weakening of commitment to public goods will potentially alter policy tools currently applied to education development.

Author

• Lara Patil, NORRAG