In June 2018, Independent Sector and Stanford Social Innovation Review launched Civil Society for the 21st Century, an article series featuring some of today’s leading thinkers and practitioners exploring current issues in civil society.
In the fifth installment, Alan Abramson, professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, writes about the charitable sector’s roots and challenges.
What do 17th century British Law, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement have in common? Abramson argues that each played a critical role in the evolution of the charitable sector. Like a living thing, the sector has adapted to its environment, so a closer look at where – and how – we’ve been can offer a fascinating view of where we’re going next.