Charity Law and Social Inclusion: An International Study

Profiling national and international social inclusion agendas, Charity Law and Social Inclusion examines the fit between the charity law framework and the needs of the socially marginalized in some leading common law nations: the US, England and Wales, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

It:

• examines the concepts of philanthropy, inclusion, alienation and justice
• considers the competing claims of philanthropy, legal rights and politics as appropriate methods of pursuing social justice
• explains how weaknesses in charity law obstructs philanthropic intervention
• makes recommendations for changes to the legal framework governing philanthropy.

O?Halloran argues that our common charity law heritage must be updated and co-ordinated to be capable of addressing social inclusion in the twenty-first century.

This book is of interest to academics and students working and sudying in the areas of social policy, sociology and law, as well as professionals in community and voluntary work.

The social inclusion of marginalized groups, particularly immigrants, is a major concern of Western governments. Much on-the-ground work with marginalized groups is voluntary and philanthropic, and therefore governed by charity law. Little has been published to date which challenges charity law from a social perspective and "Charity Law and Social Inclusion "is the first to study its application in addressing social exclusion. Its objectives are to: explain charity law's capacity to obstruct modern charitable activity provide an international comparative analysis of current charity law examine the concepts of philanthropy, inclusion, alienation and justice consider the competing claims of philanthropy, legal rights and politics as appropriate methods of pursuing social justice showcase current examples of philanthropic intervention, resulting in strategic and sustainable community development projects make recommendations for changes to the legal framework governing philanthropy. Illustrating the importance of the needs of estranged minority culture groups, the legal framework and philanthropic resources as well as the extent to which this reasoning applies to such other socially disadvantaged groups, this book will appeal to academics and students in social policy, sociology and law as well as professionals in community and voluntary work.