2018 End of Year Special (Part 1): 2018 in review

In an end of year special, bumper 2-part episode 40, we look back over 2018 and ahead to 2019.

In part 1, we review some of the biggest stories and themes affecting philanthropy and civil society over the year and look at how we got on with our predictions from the start of the year.

Topics covered include:

 

Stories and themes:

Trust, power & accountability The Presidents Club Dinner scandal Safeguarding and international development The rise of networked social movements, New Power etc. All change at the Charity Commission The Civil Society Futures Inquiry A big year for books critiquing philanthropy: Winners Take All: The elite charade of changing the world by Anand Giridharadas Just Giving: How philanthropy is failing democracy and how it can do better by Rob Reich Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva

 

Reviewing 2018 predictions

US tax bill controversy re deduction & Focus on theoretical justification for tax breaks (linked to devolved Scottish powers) More focus on advocacy and campaigning (Johnson Amendment) More controversy re UK situation re advocacy & campaigning More closing space for CS Rebalance from service delivery to campaigning Non-standard structures for philanthropy Move away from impact More focus on SDGs More awareness of personal data bargain GDPR and big fines? Open Data and charities AI- more ML for social good? More bots for advice/customer services Conversational AI More focus on AI ethics, machine bias etc VAR resurgence Impact of virtual environments on behaviour More crypto-philanthropy More blockchain-based giving platforms and tokens New digital assets, cryptokitties