From Traditional Charity to Global Philanthropy: Dynamics of the Spirit of Giving and Volunteerism in the United Arab Emirates

The literature concerning the development of philanthropy, volunteerism and the culture of giving in the United Arab Emirates through civic engagement at societal, institutional, and individual levels is limited. There is a lack of both theoretical and empirical work in this important area of the culture of the UAE. This paper contributes to both the scholarship of benevolent philanthropy and the inquiry of the development and current status of the social responsibil-ity, volunteerism and the culture of giving across the Emirates at macro and micro levels. Drawing on theories of traditional and mod-ern worldviews and practices, the study critically examines the theory of economic-material factors of philanthropy. The research endeavors to develop theoretical orientations that go beyond the market-oriented philanthropy to encompass cultural and moral values. It attempts to demonstrate how the culture of giving developed in the UAE from traditional small scale practices prevalent in the pre-oil era into institu-tional, national and global activities incorporating various forms of government, non-government, societal and individual philanthropy. It seeks to show that social organization, traditional worldview and new cosmology are viewed as essential forces that, along with global forces, shape the unique landscape of the culture of giving in the Emirates society. Keywords: Charity, Philanthropy, Volunteerism, Worldview, Cosmol-ogy, United Arab Emirates (UAE)