Buying Respectability: Philanthropy and Urban Society in Transnational Perspective, 1840s to 1930s (Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies)

In 19th-century Leipzig, Toronto, New York, and Boston, a newly emergent group of industrialists and entrepreneurs entered into competition with older established elite groups for social recognition as well as cultural and political leadership. The competition was played out on the field of philanthropy, with the North American community gathering ideas from Europe about the establishment of cultural and public institutions. For example, to secure financing for their new museum, the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art organized its membership and fundraising on the model of German art museums. The process of cultural borrowing and intercultural transfer shaped urban landscapes with the building of new libraries, museums, and social housing projects. An important contribution to the relatively new field of transnational history, this book establishes philanthropy as a prime example of the conversion of economic resources into social and cultural capital.

In 19th-century Leipzig, Toronto, New York, and Boston, a newly emergent
group of industrialists and entrepreneurs entered into competition with older
established elite groups for social recognition as well as cultural and political
leadership. The competition was played out on the field of philanthropy, with the
North American community gathering ideas from Europe about the establishment of
cultural and public institutions. For example, to secure financing for their new
museum, the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art organized its membership and
fundraising on the model of German art museums. The process of cultural borrowing
and intercultural transfer shaped urban landscapes with the building of new
libraries, museums, and social housing projects. An important contribution to the
relatively new field of transnational history, this book establishes philanthropy as
a prime example of the conversion of economic resources into social and cultural
capital.

In 19th-20th-century Leipzig, Toronto, New York, and Boston, a newly emergent group of industrialists and entrepreneurs entered into competition with older established elite groups for social recognition as well as cultural and political leadership. The competition was played out on the field of philanthropy, with the North American community gathering ideas from Europe about the establishment of cultural and public institutions. The process of cultural borrowing and intercultural transfer shaped urban landscapes with the building of new libraries, museums, and social housing projects such as the Museum of Natural History and Metropolitan Opera House. The book has two parts; part one introduces the reader to the concept of intercultural transfer that serves as the theoretical framework throughout the book. The second part of the book focuses on how individuals and groups during this time period used philanthropy as a means of gaining recognition and social status Cultural Excursions : Museums, Art Galleries, And Libraries In A Transatlantic World -- Heavy Luggage : The Intercultural Transfer Of Models For Social Housing Enterprises -- How To Become A Gentleman : Philanthropy And Social Climbing -- Bountiful Ladies : Philanthropy And Women's Place In Society -- Giving For Good : Philanthropy And Religion -- Conclusion. Thomas Adam. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 183-226) And Index.