Who's making global civil society: philanthropy and US empire in world society

This article examines the role of philanthropy, particularly US international grant-making, in shaping global civil society (GCS) and its implications for US hegemony. It argues that philanthropy, often overlooked in debates on US power, acts as a significant trendsetter and incentive provider for GCS development. While acknowledging counter-hegemonic tendencies, the author insists that philanthropic foundations are not disinterested actors and contribute to reproducing American societal structures globally. The paper analyzes the concentration of international grant-making among a small number of elite foundations, with health-related causes receiving the main funding, suggesting a sociological under-specification of US influence in world society.