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Religion and Charity

Publication ,  Journal Article
Weller, RP; Huang, CJ; Wu, K; Fan, L
October 31, 2017

Free markets alone do not work effectively to solve certain kinds of human problems, such as education, old age care, or disaster relief. Nor have markets ever been the sole solution to the psychological challenges of death, suffering, or injustice. Instead, we find a major role for the non-market institutions of society - the family, the state, and social institutions. The first in-depth anthropological study of charities in contemporary Chinese societies, this book focuses on the unique ways that religious groups have helped to solve the problems of social well-being. Using comparative case studies in China, Taiwan and Malaysia during the 1980s and onwards, it identifies new forms of religious philanthropy as well as new ideas of social 'good', including different forms of political merit-making, new forms of civic selfhood, and the rise of innovative social forms, including increased leadership by women. The book finally argues that the spread of these ideas is an incomplete process, with many alternative notions of goodness continuing to be influential.

Duke Scholars

DOI

Publication Date

October 31, 2017

Publisher

Cambridge University Press
 

Citation

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Weller, R. P., Huang, C. J., Wu, K., & Fan, L. (2017). Religion and Charity. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108290821
Weller, Robert P., C Julia Huang, Keping Wu, and Lizhu Fan. “Religion and Charity,” October 31, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108290821.
Weller RP, Huang CJ, Wu K, Fan L. Religion and Charity. 2017 Oct 31;
Weller, Robert P., et al. Religion and Charity. Cambridge University Press, Oct. 2017. Crossref, doi:10.1017/9781108290821.
Weller RP, Huang CJ, Wu K, Fan L. Religion and Charity. Cambridge University Press; 2017 Oct 31;

DOI

Publication Date

October 31, 2017

Publisher

Cambridge University Press