No dia 18 de setembro, Corentin Cohen (Universidade de Oxford) será o orador de um seminário do Grupo de Investigação SPARC sobre o tema "The political economy of philanthropy and foundations in West and Central Africa". A partir das 14h30, na Sala 1 do ICS-ULisboa e online.

This presentation draws on collaborative research with Jean-Pierre Bat on the development of philanthropic foundations in West and Central Africa. It reflects on the political significance of gifting by analyzing the practices of wealthy businessmen. Based on field observations, interviews, and original data on the activities of corporations and foundations, we identify three distinct types of philanthropic practices that support various forms of economic accumulation and social reproduction. These practices also foster new modes of governance and transnational networking. First, donations to political parties and governments reinforce neo-patrimonial dynamics. Second, in the context of democratization, some business elites have begun using grants and partnerships with civil society organizations and international actors to promote the rule of law and place constraints on prebendalism. Third, a more recent set of practices includes venture philanthropy, seed funding, and incubator initiatives that claim to “Africanize” capital flows. These efforts position finance professionals as intermediaries between the offshore financial world and the emerging political and entrepreneurial elites they support.

Corentin Cohen is a Junior Research Fellow in Politics of St Peter's College, he lectures at the Department of Politics and International Relations and at the Africa Studies Centre of the University of Oxford.