Private Philanthropy, Scholarly Associations, and the Humanities: Positions of Centrality, Status, and Prestige in Philanthropic Networks

Abstract:Once a cornerstone of the academy, the humanities experienced a decline of student majors and faculty-tenure track line positions, most notably since the Great Recession of 2008. Additionally, academic leaders have turned to philanthropic agencies, scholarly associations, and other umbrella organizations to address academic labor shortages, in many cases, providing temporary positions for recent Ph.D.'s in the form of research fellowships. This case study explores the contributory role of scholarly associations advancing foundation-supported interventions in the humanities, focusing on the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) during the Great Recession of 2008. We draw on several data collection strategies, including social network analysis to map research fellowship activity and in-depth interviews with institutional leaders, program officers, and grant recipients to assess doctoral student outcomes and organizational practices. Our findings demonstrated that during the economic crisis, fellowships directed toward newly minted Ph.D.s were effective at providing a lifeline for hundreds of early-career humanists, many of whom were able to secure a tenure-track position when the academic labor market improved. Moreover, through such investments, major funders and disciplinary associations supported early career scholars by conferring prestige and sponsoring affiliations across universities that promoted the interchange of ideas, resources, and status. While not providing solutions to structural problems, relatively modest philanthropic investments can propel careers, stimulate scholarly activity, and confer social capital during crisis times.